In 1955 the state owned Ceylon Government Railway, now the Sri Lanka Railways, manufactured Sri Lanka's "first" diesel-electriclocomotive using old spares from withdrawn and scrapped Class S1 DMU power sets. This locomotive was named "Jayanthi" and classified as the Class M3-589. The locomotive was put to service on 5 September 1956. Two years later, in 1958, the then Ceylon Government Railway manufactured another locomotive and classified it as the Class M3-590.
The reconditioned Jayanthi was built at the Ratmalana Railway Workshop under the guidance of chief engineer, Mr. Raj Gopal. The locomotive made its maiden journey on 5 September 1956. The inauguration of the train was performed by Maithreepala Senanayaka, the Minister for Transportation of the 1956 government. The locomotive was scrapped.[2]
