In the late twenties, G. Goldschmidt and A. Weber of Haine-Saint-Pierre designed a new type of articulated tank locomotives for use in the French colonies of the Ivory Coast and Congo. The requirements for these metre-gauge locomotives included a maximum axle load of 12.5 tonnes and great flexibility. They also had to be suited for wood firing. As a combination of their names the new type became known as the Golvé locomotive.

It had long rigid frames which carried the boiler, cab and supplies and two bogies. So it basically resembled a Meyer locomotive, but the cylinders worked with simple expansion and all faced in the usual direction of travel. Each bogie has three driving axles and a carrying axle that was located on the outside. To prevent slipping when the weight on the rear bogie decreased due to decreasing water and fuel supplies, the steam admission to the rear cylinders was automatically controlled by the weight on the bogie. The firebox was located between the bogies and could be designed very deep.

In 1930, four were built for the French-West African Railway in the Ivory Coast and three for the Congo-Ocean Railway in French Congo. In 1935, two more followed for French Congo. On a gradient of 2.5 percent with curve radii of 80 m, they could haul 260 tonnes with 16 km/h.