The joint venture between Ruhrthaler-Maschinenfabrik and Batignolles-Châtillon gave rise to the company Batiruhr (Batignolles-Ruhrthaler), which took over the mine locomotive business.
The locomotive has a 6-cylinder diesel engine (Hispano-Suiza); power is transmitted via a Voith “Diwabus” transmission (hydraulic converter) and then transferred to both axles via connecting rods. Since this type of locomotive usually operated in double-unit formation, they were equipped with a compressed-air-operated multiple-unit control system.
This locomotive had been used on the route from the Saulnes-Sud mine to Longlaville. The Minièresbunn line to Saulnes uses the track bed of this route as far as the Pont des Vauziers in Saulnes
In 1989, the locomotive was acquired from the Service des sites et monuments, thus saving it from being scrapped. Only three locomotives of this type were built, and only one has survived. With the help of the Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments, the locomotive was restored to working order. As part of this process, it was converted to a 700 mm gauge.
