When the LNER planned to electrify the Woodhead Line between Manchester and Sheffield, Gresley designed a four-axle locomotive for 1,500 V DC that later became known as class 76. The prototype No. 6701 was completed in 1941 and tested on some short stretches of track which had been electrified. It had an one-hour rating of 1,868 hp, a top speed of 65 mph and regenerative braking. As electrification of the Woodhead Line was delayed by World War II, no further locomotives were built before the founding of British Railways. Between 1947 and 1952, it was used in the Netherlands to relieve post-war stress. The Dutch called it “Tommy”.

Series production of 57 slightly modified locomotives started in 1950 at Gorton, with the electrical part coming from Metropolitan-Vickers. They were classified as EM1 and numbered from E26000 for the prototype to E26057. The TOPS system made them become class 76 from 1968. Only 14 had steam heating, since the faster class 77 was built for passenger service from 1953. With the early withdrawal of the class 77 in 1968, they were also increasingly used in passenger service, but only until 1970 when passenger service over the Woodhead Line was stopped.

In the following time, 30 received multiple controls to use them for Merry-Go-Round coal trains. Now two locomotives pulled each train and two more assisted on the rear for the steepest sections. The prototype was withdrawn in 1970 since it was much older than the others. Some more were withdrawn in 1971 and 1972, but withdrawals now paused until 1977. All remaining locomotives were withdrawn in 1981 with the closure of the Woodhead Line as the only 1,500 V DC mainline in Britain, although most were still in good condition. Only 26020, the later 76020, was preserved and can be found in the National Railway Museum in York.