[3][4][5] The North East Dundas Tramway on which they worked traversed some of the most rugged terrain in the world served by a railway at the time.

[8] However, it was too tall and wide for use within the restricted loading gauge, and after ten years of storage at Porthmadog, it was lent to the National Railway Museum (NRM), York where it was cosmetically restored.

[4][9][10][11] As the Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) rebuilding project reached fruition, K1's potential for the line was recognised and in 1995 it left the NRM.

[12] After conversion to oil-firing, it steamed again in 2004 and finally received HM Railway Inspectorate approval in September 2006 to haul trains.

[13][14] A conversion back to coal firing was completed in August 2007 together with some other work which allowed it to appear at the Superpower weekend in early September.