The first was delivered in May 1896 by
Beyer, Peacock & Company with further orders over the next 20 years seeing the class number 280. Their second and third coupled wheel tyres were flangeless to reduce curve friction. During
World War One, an additional 10 were under construction at the
North British Locomotive Company, but these were not delivered to Australia, being taken over by the
British War Office for the
Royal Engineers Railway Operating Division. After the war, they were offered back to the
New South Wales Government Railways at higher than new prices and in a badly worn condition. They were declined and eight locomotives were subsequently acquired by the Nord-Belge railway in
Belgium and, following rebuilding, assigned to work coal trains along the
Meuse Valley. The two other locomotives were acquired by S.A. Force, Eclairage et Docks de Gand in
Ghent, Belgium. The
Commonwealth Railways also chose this design, purchasing eight
K class engines for the
Trans-Australian Railway. After being moved to
Orange for a proposed overhaul that never eventuated, it was cosmetically restored at the
Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park & Railway between 2005 and 2010 before being placed back on static display at Bathurst station. It is known as the "Chifley Engine" as it was regularly driven by future
Prime Minister Ben Chifley before he entered politics. ==Preservation==