Green, Worn, and Rugged - my "new" model loco

[LNER Fan 60008]

Hi folks,

Not long ago I snapped up this little gem on auction. It is a Gaiety 5700 class Pannier tank engine built in the 1950s. Die-cast metal body, a bit different from the plastic fare I've been used to.
This one is fit to a finescale chassis (the seller implied it is a K's chassis, but no known ID marks on it) and even has sprung chain/hook couplers fit - a nice treat. It also has a driver figurine tucked into the cab and small grilles fit into the back cab windows.

It doesn't currently run, likely in need of a full overhaul. The chassis is kept in place by the 4 buffers which screw into place, and also the coupling hooks - I'm sure it can be taken apart with care, though I have yet to figure out how to remove the spring coupling hooks. The paintwork is worn but not too bad (though a repaint may suffice someday). I touched up the buffer heads already as these had lost their coating entirely.
The only real gripe is the '5700' number has worn off. These, from what I've seen, were never that well printed and are usually replaced with number-plate overlays instead. All of these Gaiety panniers would have started off as a '5700' in GWR green or a '3600' in BR black.

These Gaiety panniers, as with many engine models of the period, were less than accurate with oft-cited points being the fat safety valve and square cab windows (though the later 8750 class had these windows, they used a different cab side design). That said, they are solid models and much more robust than modern fare. It is compulsory to note this model was the inspiration of "Duck" from the Railway Series and subsequent Thomas the Tank Engine series. Awdry's model had a poor chassis with one wheel being non-circular, causing the model to waddle along the track. It was later fit with a new chassis/wheels.

Just a nice model that I wanted to show off, and a brief look into model railway fare from the past. For now it's largely a "keepsake", though I'm open to finding matching rolling stock that will suit it.

[D2100]

Interesting It seemed that every GW layout in the early '60s 'Railway Modellers' had a Gaiety pannier, along with the equally obligatory motorised Airfix prairie tank and a H-D Castle...

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Does the motor look it has 2 Triang armature windings on the same shaft? If so, then you got a Gaiety chassis as well.

[LNER Fan 60008]

I'm not sure who made the chassis, the seller had guessed it was a K's chassis.
Here's another photo, showing the chassis underside.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Can you photo the chassis removed from the body? That'll be the kicker.

[LNER Fan 60008]

I'll try once I figure out how to undo the couplings. They're kept in by springs and I didn't want to damage these when taking it apart.