The GER class C32 was a tank version of Holden's T26 with an additional trailing axle. It was intended for suburban long distance stopping trains and had a driving wheelbase that was three inches shorter than that of the T26. Between 1893 and 1895, four batches of ten each were built at Stratford. Batch three and four were built with condensing gear. A fifth batch of ten followed in 1902 and had a new boiler with a pressure of 160 instead of 140 psi. Later all were rebuilt to the same boiler.

Like many 2-4-2 tank locomotives, they tended to hunt at speed since they had no guidance from the tender. To improve this, coil springs had to be added to the leading and trailing axles to reset them into the centre position. Shortly before World War I, they were moved to rural service in East Anglia. In 1923 they became LNER class F3. The LNER removed the condensing gear from all locomotives. The class was withdrawn between 1936 and 1953.