In July 1904, the Central South African Railways placed fifteen Class 10 steam locomotives with a 4-6-2 Pacific type wheel arrangement in service.

At the time, the CSAR Classes 10 and 11 which were acquired simultaneously, were the heaviest and largest locomotives built for 3 feet 6 inches (1,067 millimetres) gauge.

This arrangement became standard practice on all new locomotives, except on those equipped with mechanical stokers where it was found preferable to divide the grate into sections which could be shaken separately by hand gear.

At 7 feet 4 inches (2,235 millimetres) above rail level, its boiler centre line or pitch was higher than that of any other locomotive in service in South Africa at the time.

The latter was intended for the removal of scum and was operated by a rod, attached to the cleaner cock and passed along the left side of the engine cab.

[3][9] When these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways (SAR) in 1912, they retained the Class 10 classification, but were renumbered in the range from 732 to 746.

[10] The rest of the fleet remained unmodified and, unlike their Classes 10A, 10B and 10C successors, were never reboilered with Watson Standard boilers.

[4][5][11] Upon completion of the electrification projects from the Reef to Kroonstad and Witbank, the twelve surviving Class 10 locomotives at Germiston were transferred to Port Elizabeth on the Cape Midland during December 1959, for use on the Uitenhage suburban and other local services.

744 was eventually mounted outside the main station building at Springs, one of the first engines to be plinthed as part of the SAR Museum policy.