In January 1912, the South African Railways placed a single Class ME Mallet articulated steam locomotive with a 2-6-6-2 wheel arrangement in service.

The locomotive was intended for test purposes on branch lines with light 45 pounds per yard (22 kilograms per metre) rail.

[1][2][3][5] By the time it was delivered in January 1912, the CSAR had already become part of the newly established South African Railways (SAR).

Each engine unit was equipped with an independent Wakefield mechanical lubricator to supply oil to the valves and pistons.

It spent its last years working on the line from Nelspruit to Sabie in the Eastern Transvaal Lowveld, until it was withdrawn and scrapped in 1937.