This locomotive was built by Henschel & Son, Kassel, Germany (builder's no. 24476 of 1938) to a South African Railways design for the Otavi Mining and Railway Company, which operated a lengthy railway across Namibia. The NG15 class was a development of the earlier Hd and NG5 classes locomotives, and the class grew to 21 locomotives following orders for additional locomotives from Société Franco-Belge and Henschel & Son.

A significant feature of the NG15 design was the use of  a Krauss-Helmholtz bogie, which allowed the locomotives to negotiate sharp curves.  The Krauss-Helmholtz bogie links the pony truck to the leading pair of driving wheels, which are able to shift laterally to accommodate the curve, while the driving axles remain in parallel.

The NG15 class are commonly known as "Kalaharis" although they never worked across the Kalahari desert!

NG15 No.118 and No.123 were purchased by the Bennett Brook Railway and imported to Australia on 21 April 1985.  NG 123 entered service on the BBR on 21September 1986, and worked most Sundays and Public Holidays during the winter periods until the end of steam season 1995 when it was withdrawn from service.  After a 12 year gap, NG 123 returned to service on 10th May 2007 following overhaul.

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