Rick

MOC: EU Fire Engine and Ladder

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indexed.gif V-LF-6C & V-LF-6D

An EU-style fire engine and ladder to celebrate my 100th post here on Eurobricks. Both are (supposed to look like) Mercedes-Benz Atego's (inspiration pictures for the engine and the ladder).

Engine:

eu-engine-01.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-engine-02.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-engine-03.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-engine-04.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-engine-05.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-engine-06.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-engine-07.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-engine-08.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-engine-09.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-engine-10.jpg_thumb.jpg

The interior of the engine is a first version and will likely be updated with more equipment. Inspiration mainly comes from RalphS' fire engine, but also from this Brickshelf folder by Hypo.

Ladder:

eu-ladder-01.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-ladder-02.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-ladder-03.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-ladder-04.jpg_thumb.jpgeu-ladder-05.jpg_thumb.jpg

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First class!

Easily recognisable as an Atego too. Nice proportions and good features while still keeping some look, feel & scale of Lego designed trucks!

Nice one.

Cheers

Rog

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Excellent! :wub:

Now add this to the new modular fire station.

I might give it a try when I get mine.

Thank you for the inspiration!

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First class!

Easily recognisable as an Atego too. Nice proportions and good features while still keeping some look, feel & scale of Lego designed trucks!

Nice one.

Cheers

Rog

Thanks, I was aiming for that look.

Excellent! :wub:

Now add this to the new modular fire station.

I might give it a try when I get mine.

Thank you for the inspiration!

Thanks, I was hoping the engine would fit, but only a 19 stud long vehicle will fit in.

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Perhaps unsurprisingly I love fire engines. Brickshelf seems to be flooded with American models and although there's something to said for lots of chrome I do like the more utilitarian look of European fire fighting vehicles. Both of your models are very faithful reproductions of the full-scale vehicles and both of them wouldn't look out of place in a LEGO catalogue. I'm glad my fire engine helped inspire you to build these.

I like that you've managed the half stud offset for the rear of the pumper truck. It's a lot of extra effort, but it makes a big difference in the overall look. I'm impressed that you managed to squeeze four fire fighters in the cab. You probably don't have the part and it may interfere with the seating arrangement, but I'd suggest using a 1x2x2 airplane window to add the window behind the driver. Nice SNOT work on the rear mudguard, by the way. The ladder truck is very nice too. I like the various little steps in particular. :thumbup:

It's a shame there's no easy way to add the blue and white diagonal stripes that are so typical for Dutch fire fighting vehicles. I would love to build a Dutch truck.

Cheers,

Ralph

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It's certainly a great likeness! Well done.
Thats pretty neat, looks very playable too. I want one!!

Thanks! But you can't have it :tongue:

Perhaps unsurprisingly I love fire engines. Brickshelf seems to be flooded with American models and although there's something to said for lots of chrome I do like the more utilitarian look of European fire fighting vehicles. Both of your models are very faithful reproductions of the full-scale vehicles and both of them wouldn't look out of place in a LEGO catalogue. I'm glad my fire engine helped inspire you to build these.

I like that you've managed the half stud offset for the rear of the pumper truck. It's a lot of extra effort, but it makes a big difference in the overall look. I'm impressed that you managed to squeeze four fire fighters in the cab. You probably don't have the part and it may interfere with the seating arrangement, but I'd suggest using a 1x2x2 airplane window to add the window behind the driver. Nice SNOT work on the rear mudguard, by the way. The ladder truck is very nice too. I like the various little steps in particular. :thumbup:

It's a shame there's no easy way to add the blue and white diagonal stripes that are so typical for Dutch fire fighting vehicles. I would love to build a Dutch truck.

Cheers,

Ralph

Thanks for the compliments, your engine (along with some German ones) was definitely what got me into trying this for myself. I tried making a full six-wide engine first, but it just ended up looking way too blocky (it looked like one big lump of bricks). Given my limited collection of 'MOC-bricks' (I tossed in two 7239s for this project, I'm to a large extent a set collector), building in seven-wide nearly exhausted my collection of small red plates, tiles, and jumper plates. I need the panel behind the driver to be as low as it is now (to accommodate minifigs' arms), so replacing it with a plane window isn't really an option for me. Also, I just don't have it. The tile-with-bar piece for the rear mudguard just resembled the real thing almost perfectly, so I had to SNOT it.

About the decoration: you're lucky that the UK models have such 'blocky' striping that is - albeit not easily - doable in LEGO. I decided to go for LEGO FD striping (similar to the truck in the latest City firestation 7945).

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Thanks for the compliments, your engine (along with some German ones) was definitely what got me into trying this for myself. I tried making a full six-wide engine first, but it just ended up looking way too blocky (it looked like one big lump of bricks). Given my limited collection of 'MOC-bricks' (I tossed in two 7239s for this project, I'm to a large extent a set collector), building in seven-wide nearly exhausted my collection of small red plates, tiles, and jumper plates. I need the panel behind the driver to be as low as it is now (to accommodate minifigs' arms), so replacing it with a plane window isn't really an option for me. Also, I just don't have it. The tile-with-bar piece for the rear mudguard just resembled the real thing almost perfectly, so I had to SNOT it.

About the decoration: you're lucky that the UK models have such 'blocky' striping that is - albeit not easily - doable in LEGO. I decided to go for LEGO FD striping (similar to the truck in the latest City firestation 7945).

Having a step from 6 to 7 wide indeed makes it look less like a single block of bricks. It would have been more of an issue for your truck than mine, because unlike you I could choose to make the aft body yellow rather than red. The odd-wide construction is very part-intensive. I am always running out of 1x3, 1x1 and jumper plates :hmpf_bad: . Several other members of the Brickish Association have built copies of my five-wide cars recently and they were shocked at the number of jumper plates they require.

I understand that the window would cause issues with the seating arrangement. On my truck I decided that the looks were more important than functionality, which means I can really only fit three figures in there. The reason why I built UK fire engines is because most of my buildings and vehicles were built to be part of collaborative builds with a British theme built together with members of the Brickish Association. Left to my own devices, I'd probably have gone for a Dutch truck.

(Ik ben trouwens ook Nederlander :classic: )

Cheers,

Ralph

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I understand that the window would cause issues with the seating arrangement. On my truck I decided that the looks were more important than functionality, which means I can really only fit three figures in there.

Understandable, slightly different trade-off. I originally tried to make a Rosenbauer ES Atego, which doesn't have the window you're referring to. But the main problem with this was that I couldn't build the three compartments for equipment with the standard Lego compartment doors without making the body too long. So I decided to go for two.

The reason why I built UK fire engines is because most of my buildings and vehicles were built to be part of collaborative builds with a British theme built together with members of the Brickish Association. Left to my own devices, I'd probably have gone for a Dutch truck.

(Ik ben trouwens ook Nederlander :classic: )

Cheers,

Ralph

I know

(Weet ik :classic: )

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I'm glad my fire engine helped inspire you to build these.

Yes 4 minifig is very ok... in my veicle have only two :blush:

It's a shame there's no easy way to add the blue and white diagonal stripes that are so typical for Dutch fire fighting vehicles. I would love to build a Dutch truck.

Yes, is not easy.. in italy we have four different stripers :grin:

Rick for me, your veicle is very nice :wink:

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I really enjoyed this model, as it is a great likeness while retaining playability. This is what TLG should sell.

Having a step from 6 to 7 wide indeed makes it look less like a single block of bricks. It would have been more of an issue for your truck than mine, because unlike you I could choose to make the aft body yellow rather than red. The odd-wide construction is very part-intensive. I am always running out of 1x3, 1x1 and jumper plates :hmpf_bad: . Several other members of the Brickish Association have built copies of my five-wide cars recently and they were shocked at the number of jumper plates they require.

You have 1x3 Tiles?! :wub: Where?!

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You have 1x3 Tiles?! :wub: Where?!

Thanks! :classic:

RalphS is referring to 1 x 3 plates (he doesn't mention tiles anywhere), but your wishful thinking will be answered next year (2010). There will be Power Miners sets with 1 x3 tiles in lime, which means other colors won't be far away anymore.

Edited by Rick

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Wow, these two fire vehicles are amazing, Rick!

You've added many details like the steps on the "ladder" vehicle, and lots of accessories in the "engine" vehicle.

You have also captured the modern look of fire vehicles. Beautifully done! :wub:

O yeah, some people would be very happy to see 1x3 tiles...I want them badly!
Don't worry, LEGO has listened to us! they will be in some sets in the first wave of 2010, along with 2 x 4 tiles! :wub:

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Thanks! :classic:

RalphS is referring to 1 x 3 plates (he doesn't mention tiles anywhere), but your wishful thinking will be answered next year (2010). There will be Power Miners sets with 1 x3 tiles in lime, which means other colors won't be far away anymore.

Oops, misread. I keep my jumpers with my tiles, which partially explains my loss of mind. But it's great that we are getting 1x3 tiles!

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those fire appliances are amazing, I attempted to create my own turntable but failed as I could not get the lift to work

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A nice bump!

Great work Rick! Both vehicles look very nice! What I like the most in the engine vehicle is the equipment and the hose section. It looks realistic and I like the fact that both sections are "hidden". :thumbup:

The ladder vehicle is my personal favorite! It has the shape of the vehicle from the 7945 Fire Station but yours is way ahead! The small steps on the back and that 2x1 printed tile :wub: are great details.

One more thing is that it doesn't look flimsy like the 7945. I was very disappointed when I finished building it. :sad:

I guess you're the only one to confirm that. :wink:

Great work and kudos again!

:classic:

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