The new locomotives were intended to be available for use on various 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge railways operated by the Sudan, Nigerian, Gold Coast, Belgian Congo, French Ocean Congo and Rhodesian Railways, depending upon the course of the World War II battles in North Africa.

The remaining 20 were stored unassembled in England at the Melbourne Military Railway near Derby.

[1][2] Classified as the U class, they operated passenger and freight services between Perth, Albany and Bunbury.

By 1957, with their running costs being three times greater than that of coal powered locomotives, they were stored.

[2][4] After being stored, it returned in 1966 to haul ballast trains on the Midland and South Western lines.