In World War II, when the Dutch exile government expected a severe shortage of locomotives after the war, they ordered two types of steam locomotives from NoHAB of Sweden. For freight service, 35 0-8-0 locomotives were ordered which were directly based on the TGOJ M3b. They were delivered after the end of the war and numbered in the range from 4701 to 4735. The other type were the 15 4-6-0 locomotives of the series 4000.

Three cylinders were unusual for the Netherlands, but gave them the highest tractive effort of any steam locomotive in the country. The fully enclosed cab was a sign for the Nordic origin of these locomotives. The electric lighting of the running gear, what was also not common in the Netherlands, earned them the nickname “Kerstboom” (“Christmas tree”).

Although they had been designed for freight service, their third cylinder ensured good running characteristics up to 70 km/h. So they were also used in passenger service when needed. As electrification progressed, they were used almost exclusively for coal traffic in Limburg in the fifties. Their withdrawals followed until 1957.