With an acute shortage of motive power following World War II, the South Australian Railways were able to purchase 10 Victorian Railways N class locomotives in 1951 which had been in service for only a few months. They replaced Rx class locomotives on branch line services particularly over the light lines in the Murray Mallee radiating from Tailem Bend. Withdrawals began in July 1961 with the last withdrawn in September 1967.[1]
752 is the sole survivor of the class, being placed in the Mile End Railway Museum in April 1967. It was later moved to the Port Dock Railway Museum (now the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide) in 1988.[2] In 2025, 752 was cosmetically restored and placed on public display in the main display pavilion.[3]
