Review.. 4997 Creator Transport Ferry

[5150 Lego]

So my Birthday was a couple weeks ago, somy girl friend decided to take me on a trip to the Lego Store! I had intentions of getting either the Coast Gaurd Boat and tower to add to my Coast Gaurd collection, or if they had it the new 1:9 scale ferrari F1. While both sets were there, i cameacross this beauty! I wasn't sure at first, and i acctually left the store and thought about whitch one of the Three i really wanted. Afterone of the most difficult Lego purchasing desisions iv'eever made, i decided that the ferry was the most unquie and made my purchase (or my beautiful girl friend janie did at least )

Well enough of that, on with the review!! Lets start with the small first. In this case it will be the little truck and travel trailer or "caravan" to those from europe. Its a basic 4 wide SUV with some round hinge plates to simulate aroof rack, and some "2.5x1" slope bricks to simulate a roof top cargo carrier. Unfortunetly, the SUV can't fit a mini fig inside.

The trailer is small in size, but has good detail. I like the the sloped roof and windows. I'm kind of disapointed that the truck and travel trailer wasn't quite made to mini figure scale, but its nothing a little mocing can't fix!

Now on to the cream of the crop,.... The Ferry!

letsstart from the front and work our way back. Being a creator set, asone would expect, this is intirely a brick built set. No big "<insert that tiresome argument>"pieces that some people don't like. The front of the hole is intirely brick built. using 3x1 slanted bricks. I think it looks great!

Next we have the control tower. There is quite a bit of detail going on here. Here you can see the front deck lights, as the pilot lights and all of the radio antenas and radar dishes. In side, there is a sterring wheel and control levers. At both edges of the control tower are little binoculars for looking down the coastline. Its a really small, but at the same time a very "big" detail that really adds to the realisim of the set. Sorry, i thought i had taken a close up pic of this, but i didn't. Hopfully you can see it in this pic.

Behind the tower is a nice little life boat. Its small, but high in detail and another great little touch.

Now on to the main event. The front of the hull opens up to allow vehicles accses to the main deck. To open up first you need to unlock the front bow.

The opening of the bow is controled by a techinic gears on both sides of the hull here... you can also see the life savers on the side of the hull, and the ancor.

The opening of the bow. Its alsoimportant to pointout that the as the bow is opened and closed, the front loading ramp is also rasied and lowered at the same time. There linked toeghter via technic peices and ball and sockets.

The next shot shows the front of the bow fully opened and gives a good shot of the transport deck.

here we have a shot of the rear of the ferry. Here you can see the rear loading ramp and the mechanisim to lift it. Its controled using the same black technic gear as the bow. Its conected to some lift arma, whitch are then conected to chains. As gear is turned it lifts up the arm, in turn lifting the rear loadind ramp. One important thing i should note,is that the front loadind ramp is really only able to fit a vehisle thats max seven wide, or the withe of the inluded red SUV. The rear loading ramp is cable of handling 8 wide vehicles,witch i will demonstrate later.

here we have a shot of the bottom of the ship, and how glides across the ground. It uses 4 off center air plane landing gears. This alows it to move practicly in any direction on a smooth surface.

here are a few shots of some vehicles loaded on the deck. This is were having 4 wide vehicles in your gleet comes in handy. you could easily fit 4 four wide cars/trucks on the deck of the ferry. Five, and six wide could fit too, but it will be tight.

A shot of just the SUV and Travel trailer exiting the front of the ferry.

Now i promised i would ellaborate on the size of the loading deck ofthis beast, and that i will do. Whats this? Looks like the local frieght company needs some help getting one of thier cargo trucks across the river. The crew isn't sure if both the truck and its trailer will fit, but their going to give it a go!

Its a tight fit, but she made it!!

At $69.99 U.S., with 1,279 pieces this set is a fantasic value. It has great playability while still having enough detail to make a nice display model.

Price per peice count- - - - -

playability- - - - -

design- - - - - Although its a creator set and not city, it would have been nice to fit a mini fig in the tower and vehicles.

build- - - - Nothing really speacial in the build, but it was straight forward.

Overall- - - .5

Edited May 23, 2009 by WhiteFang
Indexed

[Tenorikuma]

Wow, great review. I wasn't even interested in this set before, but now I'm seriously considering getting one.

[Siegfried]

This is a beatiful set... and number one on my buy list! Thanks for the great review 5150 Lego.

[Dovchenko]

That's seriously cool, and I sort of want one now. Sort of. It looks nice but it's not as if there's a lot of press surrounding it. I'll think about it.

[Holodoc]

Thank you for your great review, 5150 Lego!

A very special thanks for your views on the loading capability. I never would have thought the truck would fit in the ferry, but it´s great to see it does!

I had the chance to hold this set in my hands during our event and the opening mechanism is absolutely stunning! It all works so well I couldn´t close my mouth. Like you mentionend already, the gates open and the platform is lowering at the same time. You must have done that yourself to realize how ingeniously it is build.

This is definitely on my wanted list, but my wife told me not to buy any Lego any more this year. Well, she said this year, so I will order mine 1.1.09.

This is a perfect 10/10 in my opinion. And if you still have any doubts about the set, look at the alternative models you can build:

For the first time this is a set I would buy just for the alternative models.

4997 ON!

[adik_sa_lego]

might get three of these just to be able to build the alternative models. all of them are beeyuuteeefuuullll.

[chris_austin]

might get three of these just to be able to build the alternative models. all of them are beeyuuteeefuuullll.

I don't know about that, lol but i'm seriously impressed with the alternative models. That's a lot of variation and playability for one set. LEGO did an excellent job.

Thanks for the review because I wouldn't have even seen this set otherwise

Edited July 23, 2008 by chris_austin

[Captain Green Hair]

I had the chance to hold this set in my hands during our event and the opening mechanism is absolutely stunning! It all works so well I couldn´t close my mouth.

I remember it having that effect on me as well

Great to se a new ferry, the last they have build was somewhere early 80's i believe, and that too was a great model IMO.

I would like a bit smaller pictures next time (loading was a pain), but thanks for this review!

[Axle]

For the first time this is a set I would buy just for the alternative models.

4997 ON!

When I first saw that plane alternate on shop@home a month or two ago, I wanted it straight away!I'm considering getting it for an MOC ship I'm mkaing, with just the bulky blue parts,but first I will build that and then use the blah,blah,blah......

The hovercraft looks good, I can only hope it has these instructions!

[brickzone]

Hmmm... now I would also like this set! Unfortunately just too many things on the list ahead of it. There are just too many sets I would like to have to buy them all - although I've already bought more than I'd intended (and I mean a *lot*). I've plenty of sets from 06 and 07 that are at a similar level of wishlist to this ferry set. 09 is likely to be full wishlist-wise too.

[Siegfried]

The hovercraft looks good, I can only hope it has these instructions!

Yes it does; I've already downloaded them.

[Wilhelm screamer]

With a slight recolor, the models that can be made with this set could make good military vehicles.

4997 ON!

[VBBN]

Nice review! I saw this set at my TRU the other day... However I didn't get it. I've never felt ot big on this set. I just don't see why Creator doesn't have minifigs. However, the little car is just . Does the trailer open?

[Holodoc]

Oh, I forgot to mention:

69,99$?

That´s insane again, being just 44,45€

We will be ripped off, paying the special price of 79,99€!

[Eilif]

Great review,

I am as excited about the cargo plane as I am about the ferry. Even though I don't need alot of white and blue brick, this set is still very high on my want-it list. It looks like a very satisfying brick-based-build, with alot of potential for subtle improvments to make it minifig-compatible.

[Zarkan]

Wonderful review, 5150. Man, your girlfriend sure is generous!

This set might possibly be the BEST creator set EVER. Everything about it is just wonderful - the color scheme, the design, the detail work, the scale - even tha alternate models! I'm just in love with this set, and I'm amazed that TLC actually made something like this.

Edited July 23, 2008 by Grevious

[Tenorikuma]

Oh, I forgot to mention:

69,99$?

That´s insane again, being just 44,45

Edited July 23, 2008 by Tenorikuma

[fugglewyg]

Wow - looks great. Thanks for the review.

I thought i may get this set when it came out, now i know i have to get it.

Ouch, my poor wallet. So many sets so little cash

[WhiteFang]

5150, thanks for the outstanding review!

This is one of the most impressive Creator set, I had ever seen, apart from Creator houses. All of the Creator houses are just so beautiful. Ok, back to the review. The SUV is sweet, but it's sad to know that mini-fig can't drive this around. I believe, with slight modification, it will enable it place a driver in it somehow. This vehicle reminds me of the holiday camper set or vacation set, where the people could take a relaxing vacation on the road.

The scale of the ferry is really very huge, and it is able to ferry quite a few 4-studs cars in it. Most importantly, I am glad you drive the truck with its trailer, loading it into the ferry. It sure fits well in it. This set is just so wonderful, especially with its alternate model of a cargo plane.

[Algernon]

This is one of the best Creator sets ever, besides the Titan. I want it, but I don't think I have enough money. :(

[5150 Lego]

This is a beatiful set... and number one on my buy list! Thanks for the great review 5150 Lego.

Thanks for front paging it! i feel so honored!

Thank you for your great review, 5150 Lego!

A very special thanks for your views on the loading capability. I never would have thought the truck would fit in the ferry, but it´s great to see it does!

I had the chance to hold this set in my hands during our event and the opening mechanism is absolutely stunning! It all works so well I couldn´t close my mouth. Like you mentionend already, the gates open and the platform is lowering at the same time. You must have done that yourself to realize how ingeniously it is build.

This is definitely on my wanted list, but my wife told me not to buy any Lego any more this year. Well, she said this year, so I will order mine 1.1.09.

This is a perfect 10/10 in my opinion. And if you still have any doubts about the set, look at the alternative models you can build:

For the first time this is a set I would buy just for the alternative models.

4997 ON!

I did forget to meantion about the alternate models. I was actually going to build the hovercraft, but the interior is really low, and i wanted to be able to fit a wide range of vehicles inside. The plane is great though!

Nice review! I saw this set at my TRU the other day... However I didn't get it. I've never felt ot big on this set. I just don't see why Creator doesn't have minifigs. However, the little car is just . Does the trailer open?

Nope. You'd preety muchhave to rebuild a whole new trailer for that, or to be able to fit a mini fig inside. The truck on the other hand, shouldn't be to hard to mod for a mini fig.

[AgentRick]

This is going to be the only creator set of the sumer wave that I will purchase, as my city has no use for: 1) a gigantic convertible and 2) a big green dinosaur. To bad this is the most expensive one of the bunch.

[Snake...SNAKE...SNAAAAKE?!]

Oh, I forgot to mention:

69,99$?

That´s insane again, being just 44,45€

We will be ripped off, paying the special price of 79,99€!

That.... sucks!

still beautiful!!!

[NewRight]

Great review and that set is amazing in size and detail.

[Makaru]

Resize your images to something decent. Thank you.

Not a bad set. Some pieces in there I can really do some damage with.