Modular Buildings are amongst the most popular offerings in the range formerly known as Creator Expert. These were the sets that gave me permission to buy LEGO for myself, over a decade ago. I was fortunate to be able to pick up the Cafe Corner, Green Grocer and Market Street while they were still available in their initial run. And now, like clockwork, AFOLs start to talk about what they are looking for in a Modular Building for the following year. As the first Creator Expert/ and now 18+ set released for the year (Due out on January 1), this is an anticipated announcement.
Today, as part of its Black Friday Showcase stream, the LEGO group announced next year’s modular: 10278 Police Station. with 2923 pieces, the set is scheduled for world wide release on January 1st 2021. It will be priced at 179.99 EU/199.99 US/299.99 AU/269.99 CAD/169.99GBP.
Continuing with the trends of the Modular building line, 10278 looks like it might belong in a bygone era. It feels perfect as an example of a sandstone precinct building from the first half of the 20th Century.
It is a single fronted tan building, 18 studs wide, on a 32 stud wide basplate. To the left of the police station is an 8 stud wide purveyor of Donuts and baked goods, while on the other end, we can see a narrow news stand, in front of the holding cell. Above the Donut shop, is a single room apartment, with a carefully arranged hole in the floor, for the resident to purloin casual midnight snacks.
While predominantly tan, there are also some great runs of colours not typically assiciate with this architectural style… in LEGO forms at least: lavender and sand green.
The comes with 5 mini figures: The police chief, 2 beat cops, as well as a donut shop worker, and a shady character in a peaked cap: Donut thief, newspaper salesman, apartment resident and suspected felon.
There are some interesting archtectural details in the images supplied from the packaging, including what I think might be a new 1x3x 1 1/3 inverse slope. As far as I can tell, uner the first floor windows, we have some 2x1x2 2/3 SNOT bricks lying flat, to add to the carved detail in the sandstone wall.
There are some printed elements that I think are new for this set as well, which make me think that this range is set in a Olde World type environment, rather than the present: the proclivitiy for using old fashioned office devices sush as a typewriter, as well as a rotary telephone.
There are a number of printed newspaper tiles too. Other details that we see include a particularly long creeper, making its way up the side of the building.
There is also a call out to a previous modular in this set: on the side of the police station, we have a large billboard, spread over two 6×6 tiles, advertising Soap’n’suds (unfortunately, these appear to be stickers.).
This happens to be the laundromat featured in 10251: Brick bank from 2016. five years eariler. Just the place to go should you want to get your money laundered.
10251 Brickbank – the seconadary business: Soap and Suds
Another feature that I am fond of on the ground floor is the use of multiple offset plates on the chequered linoleum, allowing stable positioning of minifigures on the floor, with out fear of undue slippage.
Here is the official press release…
The LEGO Group has announced an amazingly detailed new addition to its Modular Buildings Collection with the unveiling of the LEGO Police Station.
Hiding a wealth of features behind its impressive facade, the eye-catching new model consists of three floors and a modular structure that allows LEGO fans to fully explore the intricate interiors and increase the building’s height.
Designed as a centrepiece to a bustling LEGO neighbourhood, the LEGO Police Station also comes complete with a donut shop brimming with sweet treats and a newspaper kiosk, as well as five minifigures including a 1940s-inspired police officer for ample storytelling possibilities.
Adding further architectural interest, the outside is decorated with brightly coloured awnings and ornate cornicing. The LEGO Police Station is fully compatible with other products from the LEGO Modular Buildings Collection and makes a striking display piece alongside these, as well as on its own.
The feature-packed floors of the LEGO Police Station are filled with secret surprises and delights for true-crime fans. On building the set, it soon becomes apparent that a mystery donut thief is on the loose. Naturally, the LEGO Police Station is fully equipped to tackle even the most sugary-sweet of crimes, with an evidence locker, jail cell, interrogation room and case board with red lines connecting all the clues.
Inside, all levels are connected by a grand staircase and are stocked with uniquely designed pieces including a billboard, telephone and a typewriter. The ultimate Easter Eggs and clues to solving the mystery of the Donut thief come in the form of a hidden escape route beneath the jail cell and a secret access route to the Donut shop.
Chris McVeigh designer at the LEGO Group commented: “We’ve had a lot of fun designing the LEGO Police Station. An architectural gem and treasure trove of quirky features, it’s the perfect place to start building your LEGO streetscape, or a brilliant addition to an existing one.”
Totaling 2,923 pieces, the LEGO Police Station is the latest addition to the LEGO Modular Buildings Collection which also includes the Bookshop, Assembly Square and Corner Garage. The LEGO Police Station will be available to purchase at LEGO.com and from LEGO Retail Stores from January 1st 2021.
I do love the board triangulating the clues to solving the mystery of the Donut thief.
I look forward to having the chance to look at this set a little more closely in the near future. I have to admit, following events in the USA earlier this year associated with the Black Lives Matter protests, as well as LEGO asking it’s affilliate marketers to pulldown advertisments specifically pointing towards police sets for a week, this set feels a little weird as far as the subject matter is concerned. But this does not detrat from the fact that the set looks terrific, has a few lovely stories to tell and until now, our LEGO Cities had only flashy, modern command centres, nothing that looked as though it belonged in a neighbourhood. this can now change.
I think this could look great near the Brick Bank, as well as the detective agency. Overall, this could give us quite an exciting film noir environment for photography and brick filming,
What to you think of this new modular Police station? Why not leave your ideas in the comments below, and until next time…
Plat Well!
