The G 8 freight locomotive was the first superheated steam freight locomotive in Prussia, which is the reason why it initially suffered from a number of teething problems. Another problem was the weight specification for the locomotive, which meant that many components had to be made much too weak in order to save weight. Therefore, during the procurement period, changes were repeatedly made to the locomotives. A total of 1,054 locomotives were built between 1902 and 1913.

Our locomotive was put into service in 1913 by the Royal Railway Directorate of Münster as 4981. In the course of the First World War, it was delivered to the Ottoman Empire for operation on the Baghdad Railway in 1916. It most probably came to the state railway TCDD in the course of the nationalisation of the Turkish Southern Railway “Cenup Demiryolları”. From 1970 onwards, it was based in the Çatalağzı depot. In 1987, the still operational locomotive was towed to Germany on its own wheels, largely restored to its original condition and is an exhibit in our museum.