First five of the 14 Locomotives were officially handed over to the Government of Sri Lanka in December 1954, at a Ceremony with the Participation of Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala and Chief Mechanical Engineer B. D. Rampala.

In 1955, Government of Sri Lanka introduced three main Luxury Express Passenger trains which from Colombo to Matara, Jaffna and Badulla.

Class M2 Locomotives were able to drive in every Railway Line in Sri Lanka except for the Kelani Valley Railroad due to its limitations.

But on 7 July 2024, A Special Trial Ballast train hauled by Class M2A 591 Manitoba locomotive was driven in the Kelani Valley Railway line from Colombo to Avissawella order to check its efficiency and durability.

The Trial was reportedly successful and another Special Ballast train was driven to Avissawella on 9 October 2024 hauled by Class M2 573 Quebec.