In 1896, the Natal Government Railways (NGR) rebuilt one of its Class K&S 4-6-0 tank locomotives to a configuration, as directed by NGR Locomotive Superintendent George William Reid. This was the first known use of this wheel arrangement and was done to enable the locomotive to run equally well in either direction in shuttle service on the Natal South Coast line, where no turning facilities were available. In 1912, when it was assimilated into the South African Railways (SAR), this locomotive was designated Class C2.