The design incorporated the most modern technology to minimise maintenance and repairs, including: This was the only type of Garratt locomotive to operate on the New South Wales Government Railways.

The cancellation contract stipulated that the NSWGR could not assemble the spare parts into complete locomotives without paying substantial royalties to Beyer-Peacock.

The last three locomotives were cancelled completely and the assembly positions at the Gorton Works of Beyer-Peacock were sold to the South African Railways.

Because of their light axle load they were cleared to operate on the Crookwell, Captains Flat, Temora, Narrandera and Bourke lines.

[1] Typical workings in the mid 1960s would consist of bulk export coal and general goods movements : 6012 was the first of the class to be withdrawn in February 1956.

[10] The next few to be withdrawn suffered accident damage in major collisions in 1961 (6003 Geurie) and 1963 (6028 Glenlee - rebuilt and returned to service by 1965).

At the same time, 6010 already made up from a mix of original parts including the boiler cradle from 6043, the front water tank of 6039 and the coal bunker of 6021 was nearing completion in the same works.

The last withdrawn was the replacement 6042, which operated the final New South Wales Government Railways steam service on 22 February 1973.