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[TheBrickster]

Hospital

Set #: 555
Year Released: 1975
Piece Count: 222
Faceless Figs: 7
List Price: unknown

Lego's first hospital was a great set! It included the main hospital building, an ambulance, wheelchair, gurney, and seven faceless figs. For 1975, this wasn't bad at all.

Starting with the instruction. These are still in pretty good shape. As a child, I wasn't too "into" hospitals.



The ambulance is quite simple, and the stickers have long since worn off:



It does have some white shutters on the back that allow the gurney or a minifig to be placed inside.



Two figures attached to the gurney carry a sick/wounded man:



Another attendant pushes a lady in the wheelchair:



A man rests on a bench outside the hospital. I always thought the yellow leg piece was uncommon:



A nice hospital design on the roof:



The red hospital. I always thought the use of the 2x2 grey tiles was a nice addition for the ambulance to roll on.



And a shot of the entire set, minus one female hospital fig that I forgot to place in the scene before taking the picture:



Hope you enjoy the review of this great classic hospital.

[hewman]

Thanks for this review of a real classic. I love its elegantly simple design. I rated it above average, it would have got maximum if it was that bit newer and had 'real' minifigs, not that it could be helped. There's something comforting about a simple brick and plate design.

[VBBN]

I love these classic reviews! Keep them coming. Anyways, great review. I never liked the old figs. But this one seems to have a lot of them! The hospital is great for interior mods, I must say.

[WhiteFang]

A 1975 LEGO set, which is almost 33 years ago. This is one vintage hospital set, which is believed to be the first LEGO Hospital, appeared in Classic City.

These were the days of LEGO, where mini-figs are not "invented" yet. In fact, it begins to conceptualize as there is good evidences shown, which are the faceless and armless mini-figs that are included in this set. Seriously, I do not know what to do with such faceless figures. I had never seen them in my whole life before.

Now, back to the hospital structure. I love the bold red and black combination. Certainly looks pleasing to me on its exterior. Brickster, there is no interior for these building, right? I believe such early designs, have plain interior for most of its building concept, especially with the classic small little windows.

The ambulance is a simple design, which is quite pleasant looking. Simple and appeasing from its front. What I love most about this set is, the 2 x 2 grey tiles used, to illustrate road paths for the ambulance to parked into the porch.

This is a very nice neat little building. I will give it a "4", for its good effort to consider its hospital design and relate it to our daily lives.

Furthermore, I request that every members view this set, as a 1975 set, and don't start throwing comments that this set is not up to whatever standards, compared to later sets, or asking where is the helicopter, doors, beds and etc. Please look at it, as the "Founding Hospital" of LEGO Classic Town, which Hospital buildings begin to evolved from there. In addition, such reviews are not easy to come by, when such sets are facing extinction.

[TheBrickster]

WhiteFang, on Jul 21 2008, 01:55 PM, said:

I request that every members view this set, as a 1975 set, and don't start throwing comments that this set is not up to whatever standards, compared to later sets, or asking where is the helicopter, doors, beds and etc. Please look at it, as the "Founding Hospital" of LEGO Classic Town, which Hospital buildings begin to evolved from there. In addition, such reviews are not easy to come by, when such sets are facing extinction.

You make an excellent point WhiteFang. Those who comment should consider the age of these sets and the fact that it's hard to compare these sets to modern-day standards. Pieces were not as specialized and the color palette not as diverse. I think lego did a terrific job in designing sets like this one with the limitations they had to work with.

As always, your comments are right on!

[Holodoc]

Is there no interior?
I can´t rate the set before knowing the inside of the hospital:
An OR with recovery room, the wards including an ICU, kitchen, entrance, waiting area and so on.
If everything is included I will rate it "5".

No, seriously, this is, mmh - to be very generous - a good first trial, nothing more.
If you had asked me 30 years ago I would surely had given it a "5", but looking at it now it will not get higher than "2" (if not "1).

More pics ON!