greg3 Posted January 4, 2014 (edited) Hi Following on from last year's topic, http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=77658 I thought I'd continue to share the goings on in my small Lego town/village, Ballabreek. I hope to continue updating the village throughout the year (trying to incorporate as many of this year's sets as possible) but this time ongoing stories etc will get their own topics and this one will be simply about the development of the village. So with the "filming" of the TMNT story taking a break, it's back to everyday life. Starting with a look at Ballabreek's latest building... The fire station! I got the latest fire station (60004) for Christmas but like most official buildings it's far too large for my layout so I MODed it into something a bit smaller. It's located on the edge of the village on the site of the old garage (which burrnt down last year). The station is operated by retained firefighters (that means that they have regular jobs nearby and are called in only when needed) so is rather basic. Inside is the main garage. As well as the firefighter's gear, it contains tools to maintain the appliance. There's also a small office with a computer which gives the crews information about the location and nature of any incidents. As for a fire engine, I originally wanted to use the one from the starter set (60023) as it can fit 2 figures and by adding a fire hose, would have been able to deal with most call outs. However, to make it fit, the station would have had to come right up to the edge of the road and just didn't look right. My solution was to MOD the rather disappointing smaller engine from 60004. (Although I might have got a bit carried away in adding equipment to it!) As you can see I removed the back section and remodelled it to carry more kit. It now has a water hose with pressure gauge. Radio, medical equipment and extinguisher. Breathing apparatus. Removable generator with lighting and cutting tools (from set 7942) mounted on the roof. As you can see it's certainly well equipped (the only thing I couldn't find space for was a ladder!) Thanks for looking.... comments are always more than welcome. Edited January 4, 2014 by greg3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JopieK Posted January 4, 2014 Very nice job! Could even be a LEGO set :) nice, small but well equipped fire rescue post! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheLazyChicken Posted January 4, 2014 Great work on the fire station! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LAKAbricks Posted January 4, 2014 Good to see new developments in Ballabreek again. I look forward to see even more in the new year. Quite impressive how many things you have squeezed into that little car Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paperballpark Posted January 4, 2014 I'm rather surprised the old fire station burned down! ;) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alasdair Ryan Posted January 5, 2014 I'm rather surprised the old fire station burned down! ;) I think it was a Garage and not a fire station. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted January 5, 2014 Excellent little fire station 'greg3'......I can't wait to you continue your story......Brick On 'greg3' ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gazumpty Posted January 6, 2014 Nice work...I love your work on making the official and more often than not 'too big' set work! it's got a great classic feel to it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg3 Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) Thanks for the comments I'm rather surprised the old fire station burned down! ;) Sorry for the confusion... It was a small vehicle repair garage/workshop that burnt down (a stolen car crashed into it - you can see images of the incident in last year's Ballabreek topic). Since then the area has been used as a car park and recycling centre but now, as well as a fire station, it has (as this week's update)... A police station!! As you can probably tell, it's based on the robber's hideout (oh the irony!) from last year's Helicopter Arrest set (60009). I really liked the building design and had wanted to use it my village. I had tried to make it into a Coastguard station but the garage was too low, then it was going to be a taxi office until I got a few of the new police sets and decided that I needed a police station (I just had to extend the garage a couple of studs) The ground floor consists of a garage for the patrol car and a small holding cell (only used when the cells at the main police station in a nearby town are full). Upstairs is an office/control room. Here, the various CCTV and traffic cameras can be monitored and incidents quickly responded to. There's also a counter where the public can call in to speak to a police officer if needed. Like most of my buildings it sits on a baseplate which fits into a gap between plates and can be easily removed to access the interior. Thanks for looking, as always any comments are more than welcome. Edited January 11, 2014 by greg3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheLazyChicken Posted January 11, 2014 Wow! What an amzing police station! I might even have to make one too. Keep up the great work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted January 11, 2014 Neat little police station 'greg3', garage, cell, etc., all in one small space but it's not cramped at all.......keep up the great work and Brick On ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomdobs55 Posted January 11, 2014 Amazing what you did with such a small space there. Love the console too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg3 Posted January 18, 2014 (edited) Thanks again for the comments.... Unfortunately I can't claim any credit for the console as it's straight out of the new Mobile Police Command Centre set!! Anyway, for this week's update, we spend some time following a couple of visitors to Ballabreek as they try to find out about their family history.... This is Bill and Mary (they might look a bit familiar!) who have just arrived in Ballabreek from the airport after a long trip from their home in the USA. They're in Ballabreek to find out a bit more about Bill's family history after learning that his ancestors emigrated from here in the mid 1800's. Bill is especially keen to find out anything he can about his great-great-grandfather (and namesake, William) who was the last family member born here and who went on to live a long and eventful life as an inventor, explorer, decorated soldier and adventurer. This photo is of William (on the left) at the age of 14 when he became one of the first Pony Express riders, carrying mail across some of the Wild West's most hostile terrain. The photo is captioned "Pony Express Station, New Ballabreek, 1860" and is what has driven Bill and Mary to find out more about the original Ballabreek. First stop is the small chapel of St Vincent where they've arranged to meet a local historian. He's brought with him the parish records and sure enough they find an entry for the birth of William on 18th January 1846. They also discover that he was christened in this very building and that his father (like most of the men in the village) worked at the local mine while his mother was the postmistress. Next stop... The post office!! Like the chapel, this building dates back to before the 1800's and is where Bill's great-great-great-grandmother worked. After chatting to the current postmistress, Bill and Mary are allowed to recreate the original photo of William!! (With a bicycle instead of a horse!) Finally a visit to the mine. Unfortunately the old Victorian workings are now unsafe so Bill and Mary have to make do with a quick tour of the modern part of the mine. They do, however learn that in 1851 a group of miners (including Bill's Great-Great-Greatgrandfather) left the mine and, taking their families with them, traveled across the Atlantic to seek their fortune in one of the many Gold Rushes of the period. As skilled miners they hoped to run their own mine and eventually set up the small community of New Ballabreek (just outside the mining town of Colby) As Bill and Mary leave, the mine manager says that he thinks he has more records and letters from the period in storage at head office and that Bill and Mary are welcome to look through them next time they visit... So perhaps we'll learn more about New Ballabreek over the next few months!! I'll post more pics of the Pony Express Station in the historical forum tomorrow (where I eventually hope to show much more of New Ballabreek!!) Comments are alway more than welcome - thanks for looking!! Edited January 18, 2014 by greg3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted January 18, 2014 Looking even better 'greg3'......I the old school classic town post office the most.......keep up the great work and Brick On 'greg3' ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomdobs55 Posted January 18, 2014 I love Ballabreek! Like the way everything fits together in harmony. But I especially love the way you pose the figs "Greg3". Keep going on! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg3 Posted January 26, 2014 (edited) Hi This week we're off to Ballabreek's small park, where a new public art project is being launched. Similar to the Cow Parades you see in cities and towns around the world, Ballabreek's Cat Parade 2014 will involve a number of cat sculptures dotted around the town. Each sculpture will be decorated/modified to make them all unique. The idea is the brainchild of local artist, cat lover (and many would say, oddball!) Mrs Sratchen-Post. Here being interviewed as locals are invited to view the first few Cats. Mrs S hopes that the community will be become involved in coming up with ideas for more cats based on local businesses, as well as wider world issues and themes. Now a quick look at the first few examples; Unikitty is Mrs Scratchen-Post's first sculpture in the series and designed to represent the creativity of the imagination (or something like that!). But for many it also represents the chance to take another "selfie"... The rest of the first batch were all suggested by Ballabreek schoolchildren in a recent competition. Snow Cat and Beach Cat The Ship's Cat And lurking in the bushes.... Stealth Cat!! As you've probably guessed, this was a way of using the cat character from the Lego Movie sets but now I'm getting quite into designing cat characters so watch out for more Cats coming soon!! (I'll post close up pics of the individual cats in the Special Themes Forum later) Thanks for looking, comments are always welcome... Edited January 26, 2014 by greg3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted January 26, 2014 Well isn't it the cat's meow 'greg3' ! Great little art-in-the-park......keep them coming and Brick On ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg3 Posted January 26, 2014 (edited) More pics of the cats (and any new ones that I, sorry, I mean that Mrs Scratchen-Post comes up with) will be posted here http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=91333 Edited January 26, 2014 by greg3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheLazyChicken Posted January 27, 2014 (edited) Very good job on those cats! Edited January 27, 2014 by TheLazyChicken Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eurotrash Posted January 28, 2014 I mentioned in the other thread "Excellent Idea and really well executed" but to see them in their proper locations take this concept to a whole other level. Super! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg3 Posted February 2, 2014 (edited) Thanks again for the kind words... This week our update is courtesy of the hit TV show "Where Are My Pants?" Broadcast weekly to minifigs around the world, the show is a mixture of comedy sketches, interviews with pant-less celebrities and special features such as "Postcards from...". In this segment, the show's host visits a popular tourist destination and describes some of the sights (while in the process of looking for his pants of course!). This week the "Postcards are from..." Ballabreek! Let's see what he has to say... "Despite it's rural location, Ballabreek is easy to reach thanks to the region's fast and efficient modern tram system" "The village grew from a small mining community in the 18/19th centuries. Now only one mine is still in operation, located just outside the village" "The village itself is home to several historic sites. Including the world's smallest church still in regular use" "Of course, if historic buildings aren't your thing, there' always the great outdoors. With many miles of footpaths and nature trails you can take in the fresh countryside air and enjoy the wildlife" "And finally, there's the option of just relaxing by the beach" "So there we have it.... Ballabreek, the perfect place to lose your pants!! Why not visit soon and see for yourself?" Thanks for looking... Comments are welcome as always. Edited February 2, 2014 by greg3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Architect Posted February 2, 2014 The empty fireman suits are a great idea! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheLazyChicken Posted February 2, 2014 That new update was so funny! Can't wait for more! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted February 2, 2014 Will someone give him a pair of pants ? Neat little comic scenes there 'greg3'........exploding pants, flying pants and caught on a hive......I really like that giant bee.......great work again 'greg3' and totally Brick On ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomdobs55 Posted February 2, 2014 That bee looks especially menacing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
