The Modular buildings have been a highlight of the release calendar for many AFOLs. After years feeling as though they were set in a golden age, with an architectural style from the 1920, and happy smiley faces everywhere. In 2017, we celebrated a decade of what would now be called the Creator Advanced Modular buildings with the release of assembly square, with nods to the entire previous series in that set. And then everything changed.
The 2018 modular building, Downtown Diner had a sleek new look: taking its architectural cues from the 1950s (60th anniversary LEGO Brick Patent celebration any one?), and replacing the traditional minifigure smiley face with more contemporary designs. And the return of Teal. Lots of Teal! Since then, there has been some speculation about the future directions of the modular line: Would the architectural style return to the older style we had become used to? Will it be a street corner or straight street? Would the smiley’s return? and even “Will there even be another modular building?”
Today, the LEGO Group has revealed the 2019 release: the corner garage. Continuing on in the 1950s style we see the action spread out over three levels: A corner garage on the ground floor, a veterinarian’s office on the next level, and then an apartment on the upper level.
The set comes with a great range of minifigures, and while many of the torsos have been seen before, some are certainly new. Looking at our cast of characters, I believe the vet and the Motor Scooter rider have new torsos. The face with sunglasses appears similar to one seen before, although there appears to be a deliberate skin blemish on this one ( technically making it new.). I see Jo the mechanic has a cap with some of her hair showing underneath.
In which we get a glimpse of another set re-released after 10 years and have a quick review of some of the recent steps the LEGO Group are taking towards a sustainable future.
Ten years ago, LEGO® set 4999 was released. A limited release set produced for Vestas®, a company which produces a significant number of wind turbines around the world, this set was never made available to the general public. Measuring over two feet high, it does have significant gravitas as a display piece.
Today, at the New York Climate Week, the LEGO Group has announced the re-release of this set, as 10268 Vestas Wind Turbine. This time, the set will be available to the general public, from Black Friday (November 23). With 826 elements, the count is a little higher than the 803 listed for the older set in the database maintained by Brickset. In Australia, it will cost $AUD329. A full international price list is listed at the bottom of this post.
The Vestas Wind Turbine also includes a Power Functions Battery box, M motor, with a long extension cable, to get the turbine spinning, as well as lights.
Consisting of the wind turbine sitting on a small hill, with a house, service van and three minifigures, this set maintains many of the characteristics of the original. Most of the elements in that set were readily available, except for one. A green ‘Large ugly rock piece.’ While these could easily be substituted for one in grey, the green one has gone back into production for this set. The trees in this set are some of the first ‘Plants from Plants’ available for purchase in LEGO sets. Earlier in the year, a promotional set was available, as a gift with purchase, in some markets.
LEGO have just released the details of the 2018 Creator Expert Winter Village Set. Steering clear of another reissue of a previous set, this year we see the release of the 10263 Winter Village Fire Station. With 1166 elements, this set will be released globally on October 1st 2018, with VIP availability at LEGO Brand Retail and shop.LEGO.com from September 13th. It will cost $149.99AUD, $100USD, £84.99 GBP and €89.99 in Germany.
As with previous Winter Village sets, this one appears to be set somewhere peaceful, in the mid 20th century, possibly in the middle of a Rankin-Bass animated Christmas Special. We have seen a number of common elements of these sets over the last 9 years:
The fairground has become one of the great subthemes of Creator Expert sets over the last few years – Starting with the Mixer, the Ferris Wheel and Carousel. Today we see the unveiling of the 10621 Roller Coaster.
Note: the official photos were released separately to the press release, and they are now attached at the bottom of this article.
This set has been hotly anticipated since the announcement of the new roller coaster system first seen in 70922 The Joker Manor. Initially appearing in purple, we have also seen grey track appearing in Speed Champions and LEGO City sets this year, as well as forthcoming in the Creator 31084 Pirate Roller Coaster. Neither 70922 or 31084 have been motorised, although solutions have been demonstrated utilising Technic chain, catching onto an attachment on the base of the cars. Here, we have the full range of track elements available in Bright red. (Ed: Unlike typical Creator Expert press releases, only a 2 stills have been provided by the LEGO Group. The majority of images have been taken from videos designed to demonstrate the features of the set.)
With 4124 pieces, this set comes with 11 minifigures, and is easily motorised by either Power Functions or Boost. I love that the use of Boost is being encouraged beyond the Creative Toolbox, to add sounds through the tablet, and to potentially increase the amount of control to be had over the system. The Australian Price at Shop At Home is $499.99
The roller coaster is designed to be be simple to motorise using Power Functions or Boost
I am impressed by the amount of gearing that goes into driving the train, from the trip up to the top, as well as moving the outside bumpers, to ensure that the train is driven around the first corner, before beginning its freefall ride. The use of the cam mechanisms here makes me think that the ride up could be just as clunky for our mini figures as it often is in the real world.
Here is the First Video: showing humans interacting with the new set:
There are some interesting additions to this set serving to add life to our amusement park, including the cotton candy stall: the beehive piece (recoloured pink) has been used in conjunction with a head to make a marvellous stick of cotton candy/fairy floss. There is a map of the park, as well as a bench: just the place for a grandparent to take a moment to relax, and consider the wisdom of their choices. If you are looking for a healthier beverage option, there is a juice bar as well! The gates at the entry of the roller coaster are manually operated, and the ride operator has a measuring stick, in case of any small children sneaking onto the ride, past the initial measuring sign!
Here is a stop motion movie , showing life from a mini figure’s point of view…
Here is the Press release:
10261 LEGO Creator Expert: Roller Coaster
Ages 16+. 4,124 pieces.
$379.99 US – $479.99 CN – DE 329.99€ – FR 349.99€ – UK £299.99 – DK 2699DKK
*Euro pricing varies by country. Please visit shop.LEGO.com for regional pricing.
Take a ride with the ultimate Roller Coaster!
[Summary]
Enjoy the thrills and excitement of the fairground with this chain-lift Roller Coaster featuring a wealth of brick-built details and 11 minifigures. Upgradable with LEGO® Power Functions and LEGO BOOST for an added movement sensor and realistic sound effects!
[Detail]
Capture the speed, thrills and excitement of the ultimate fairground attraction with this incredible LEGO® Creator Expert 10261 Roller Coaster. This fully functional chain-lift model comes with 2 trains and an array of authentic features and functions, including a ticket booth, cotton candy cart, concession stand, height marker, and a covered boarding station complete with opening barriers and a control panel. Lower the lap bars to secure the riders into the cars and release the brake to send the train to the foot of the first climb. Then activate the chain lift and enjoy the ride as the gravity-driven cars hurtle through the Roller Coaster’s twists and turns.
Upgrade the Roller Coaster with LEGO Power functions for a motorized chain lift or LEGO BOOST for an added movement sensor and realistic sound effects! This incredible collectible toy has been designed to provide a challenging and rewarding building experience with a touch of nostalgia and charm. Includes 11 minifigures.
Build a fully functioning Roller Coaster with 2 trains, lots of big dips and upgrade options
Upgrade with LEGO® BOOST and LEGO Power Functions for an even more immersive experience
Roller Coaster model measures over 20” (53cm) high, 34” (88cm) wide and 16” (41cm) deep
LEGO® Creator Expert building toys are compatible with all LEGO construction sets for creative building
Includes 11 minifigures: a cotton candy vendor, 2 ride attendants, 2 grandparents with their granddaughter and 5 riders. 8 of these minifigures feature reversible heads to display different emotions.
Fully functional chain-lift Roller Coaster model features a classic brick-built sign, control panel, 2 trains—each consisting of 3 train cars with low-friction wheels, and a 44-piece track consisting of 7 different rail elements.
Also features a ticket booth, fountain, cotton candy cart, concession stand, waiting area with bench, camera element and a pond with a frog figure.
Buy your ticket at the booth and make your way to the covered plaza.
No cheating at the height marker—the ride attendant has an accurate measuring stick!
Help the riders into the cars and secure the lap bars.
Release the brake to send the cars to the foot of the first climb.
Activate the chain lift to pull the train cars to the top of the first drop.
Move the rails to launch a second train.
Serve refreshing beverages at the concession stand or spin some cotton candy.
Don’t forget to smile as you race past the camera!
Upgrade the Roller Coaster with LEGO® Power Functions for a motorized chain lift, or with LEGO BOOST for automated chain lift activation and realistic sound effects!
Decorated elements include a ticket, money, arrow tiles, pressure gauge, number pad and a ride control panel.
Special new-for-June-2018 elements include a 2x8x6 Rail Slope, 1x2x1 Bow Brick, plant leaves, stalks and flowers.
Other elements include a height checker and 2 cotton candy treats.
Makes the perfect fairground addition to the 10257 LEGO® Creator Expert Carousel and 10247 LEGO® Creator Expert Ferris Wheel
Measures over 20” (53cm) high, 34” (88cm) wide and 16” (41cm) deep.
This is a spectacular looking set, and I look forward to seeing it in real life. It is certainly not inexpensive, and has an impressive footprint. This is a relatively simpler design, based on steel frame roller coasters, rather than the old fashions, scary wooden ones of old. It would be relatively some to customise, similar to the pirate theme seen in the creator 3-in1 set coming out later in the year (or indeed with the theme of your choice) Why not use it to reconstruct your favourite ride at a LEGOLand Park?
Why not leave you thoughts and special project ideas in the comments below, and don’t forget to check out the Rambling Brick on Instagram. Until next time,
Without a doubt, the release of the Downtown Diner(10260) as the latest modular has brought about a few interesting discussion points, from the reintroduction of teal, the change of the faces from the Classic Smiley, to the change in the architectural style not being in keeping with the other modular buildings.
While not coming in the Downtown Diner set, Tara looks like the perfect addition to the setting.
I personally like the change, and particularly adopting a look from 60 years ago, in line with the 60th anniversary of the LEGO® Brick, which we celebrate this weekend.
I am looking forward to taking on this set in real life, however the queue for building is long, and time is poor. So I did what anyone would do when confronted with this conundrum.
The LEGO Group have announced that they are re-releasing 10189 Taj Mahal as set 10256. Unlike the previous version, it will not supplant the Millennium Falcon UCS as the largest set ever released. The piece count is almost identical to the 2008 classic, which has been soaring on the secondary market in recent years. This rerelease represents the third major rerelease in the last 18 months (including the Death Star, and Millennium Falcon), and continues the Creator Expert Landmark series which has seen London Bridge, Westminster Palace/Big Ben and the Sydney Opera House released in recent years.
The set will be available from lego.com on November 27 2017, just in time for an anxiety provoking pre-Christmas order if you are dependent on international shipping! It will cost $AUD 499.95. More images and press release after the break… Continue reading →
For about a year now, the LEGO® social media feeds have been teasing the forthcoming release of the largest LEGO set ever. Starting with a silhouette on the ‘UCS’ Death Star box last year, new (official) information has been arriving more and more frequently. The set comes with the thickest instruction manual ever. And the Biggest box. And then, last week, we saw a trailer hinting at some of the elements present. This set has been subject to excessive speculation as to its exact nature: the included minifigures and how it will differ from previous versions of this particular subject matter.
This is not that set. It is however, another set in a series that has almost always impressed… except that one year when the LEGO® Group rereleased a set from several years earlier.
That’s right, today the LEGO® Group released details of the 2017 Winter Village set: the 10259 Winter Village Station. Now last year’s Winter Holiday Train will have somewhere to stop!
Launch date for the Winter Village Station at shop.LEGO.com and LEGO Stores is October 1 with VIP Early Access starting on September 14. The Australian price is confirmed at $AU119.99
More images, and the press release follow after the break. Continue reading →
The fairground has become one of the great subthemes of Creator Expert sets over the last few years – Starting with the Mixer, the Ferris Wheel and Carousel. Today we see the unveiling of the 10621 Roller Coaster.
With 4124 pieces, this set comes with 11 minifigures, and is easily motorised by either Power Functions or Boost. I love that the use of Boost is being encouraged beyond the Creative Toolbox, to add sounds through the tablet, and to potentially increase the amount of control to be had over the system. The Australian Price at Shop At Home is $499.99
10261 LEGO Creator Expert: Roller Coaster
Upgrade the Roller Coaster with LEGO Power functions for a motorized chain lift or LEGO BOOST for an added movement sensor and realistic sound effects! This incredible collectible toy has been designed to provide a challenging and rewarding building experience with a touch of nostalgia and charm. Includes 11 minifigures.
For about a year now, the LEGO® social media feeds have been teasing the forthcoming release of the largest LEGO set ever. Starting with a silhouette on the ‘UCS’ Death Star box last year, new (official) information has been arriving more and more frequently. The set comes with the thickest instruction manual ever. And the Biggest box. And then, last week, we saw a trailer hinting at some of the elements present. This set has been subject to excessive speculation as to its exact nature: the included minifigures and how it will differ from previous versions of this particular subject matter.
More images, and the press release follow after the break. 