Nice to see someone else having a go at one of these [in P4]. I'm sure you will be able to sort out the ride height by judicious filing/cutting. It's so long ago that I started mine, I can't remember what the issues were, I just know it sits right now [bottom of the tanks level and correct height above rail].

It looks like you have a different rear body mounting arrangement to me. On mine, there were two mounting pillars inside the bunker moulding, so I fixed two pieces of brass angle on the outside of the frames, set at the correct height, to pick up these original Bachmann mountings.

To suit my own preferences, I purchased a second valve gear etch, which allowed me to double up on some of the valve gear items. For most valve gear pivots [except forked joints], I tend to use brass lace makers pins with their heads reduced in both diameter and thickness [twirl against a file whilst held in a pin chuck]. Make the pin a tighter fit in the rear layer and use a layer of [possibly oiled] cigarette paper between the rod to prevent soldering the whole thing solid.

Good luck with it and keep us updated with progress.

Dave.

Work steadily and methodically, remember to make two handed sets[!], follow the guidelines and I bet you'll do just fine and wonder why you were so apprehensive. Do follow the Comet instructions and have a few good photos of the real thing, so you know what you are supposed to be representing - I've seen two models recently with the curved expansion links fitted back-to-front.

All the locos I've built except the recent Caprotti Black 5 have outside valve gear, so I must have done a first one and survived.

Dave.