For the requirements of the Second World War, the KUR had seven Garratts of the EC4 class built from 1944, which had a high power despite their light construction. In 1945, the KUR received two more or less identical EC5s, four of which went to the Tanganyika Railways and others to India and Burma. The KUR soon received the machines from Tanganyika and five from Burma. Six more, slightly revised locomotives were ordered in 1949. These entered service directly for the East African Railways and were designated the Class 56, while the EC4 and EC5 formed the Classes 54 and 55. 