I too have recently bought a Pixie (not the one on ebay and at a lot less...a lot less), and they had a poor reputation due to poorly aligned holes for the cylinders and that the cylinders were a copy of the Roundhouse ones resulting in a court case(the repair kit parts apparently fit!), and many locos that did not work.
SILLY BOY and ITS A DUD are ringing in my ears from the venerable of the 16mm world...and probably rightly regarding the loco as it stands and its reputation...but being a worker of scrap and rubbish (have you seen my efforts) the loco looks to have possibilities, and to have had work done. So I took a punt.
Others such as Mr Stowell have done wonders, but it did need a rebuild...possibly why your steam chest was turned..possibly to run it off one cylinder?
Mine has had some work done on it (I think many have been re built) with a second bush fitted where the safety valve fits, and the original capped but allowing other fits (a pressure gauge?).
It needs work and lots of fettling but you never know...and for all its faults it is part of the 16mm / Garden railway history even though for all the wrong reasons.
My research has brought up the following re the loco and siblings
http://www.16mm.org.uk/newsite/motm/mom2011-02.html
and
http://www.sidestreetbannerworks.com/locos/loco75.html
Out of interest what is the blow off pressure for your loco? or did it go BANG!
Photos to follow.
