[2] Despite the Long Depression of the 1880s, the young New Zealand railway network continued to expand, and additional motive power was required.

Six years later the WMR required additional motive power to handle the growing traffic on their line from Wellington to Longburn, just south of Palmerston North.

The two ex-WMR Ns continued to work on their home route until World War I, when they were transferred to Westland to operate the mail trains between Greymouth and Otira, making full use of their speed.

10 departed Wellington with a special test train, and gradually picked up speed on the flat trackage of the Kāpiti Coast and Horowhenua.

[5] The Cape gauge steam speed record would later be taken by the JNR Class C62 in 1954, reaching 129 km/h (80 mph) on the Tokaido Main Line.

10/N 454 was also meant to be withdrawn in 1927 but was given a reprieve: its crews formally complained about its poor condition and it ceased service on 30 January 1928.

9/N 453 was discovered near Arthur's Pass, dumped in the Bealey River, and it was recovered by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Trust in stages between 2003 and 2006 with the aim of restoring it to full operational condition.

9 returned to its old home of Paekakariki and is now based at the depot of Steam Incorporated, where it is undergoing restoration to working order.