The locomotive itself adopted a somewhat British appearance with its clean parallel Belpaire boiler, ornate copper-topped chimney, inclined cylinders and a single large steam dome.

The additional equipment included headlamp, Westinghouse air brake pump, snifter valve, blowdown muffler, air compressor exhaust muffler, re-railing jacks, larger sandboxes, and eight lead adhesion blocks (weights fitted to the footplates).

All but two T class locomotives received the final extension, giving them a characteristically ungainly, "front-heavy" appearance.

The greatly increased height of the extended tender sides and fuel oil tank that towered over the cab produced an appearance distinctly different from the original version.

However, the agreement was almost immediately reversed in favour of hiring 32 T class locomotives to operate from Terowie and Quorn to Alice Springs on the Central Australia Railway.

Hiring continued post-war for the clean-up of military equipment and removal of wartime infrastructure on the Alice Springs line.

T class locomotives were also hired for the Leigh Creek coal traffic until the completion of the Port Augusta to Brachina section of the Marree standard gauge line in 1956.