Class leader 710 was unveiled in October 1928 with the name 'Sir Alexander Ruthven', who was the governor of South Australia at the time.

Some modifications from the original 700 design include a different tender design, a different trailing bogie design known as a cast 'Delta' bogie with a booster incorporated into it, a front number plate mounted below the headlight, a front-end throttle, relocation of the injectors from the inside of the cab to the outside on the firebox sides, a cross-compound air compressor instead of a single-stage air compressor, and thermic syphons in the firebox.

However, the addition of the booster meant that the trailing bogie had an excessive axle load, and so all 710s and 706 were barred from operating on 60lb lines in 1930.

The following year, 714 had its booster removed so it would be allowed to work on the 60lb lines again, alleviating a power shortage caused by the ban.

718 was the last in service, being withdrawn after a series of farewell tours named 'Sayonara Mikado', which occurred across the weekend of 1-2 June, 1968.

[3][4] [5] All 710s were scrapped but 700 class locomotive 702, similar to the 710s has been preserved by the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide.