Review: 42060 Roadwork Crew

[Siegfried]

Review: 42060 Roadwork Crew

Name: Roadwork Crew
Number: 42060
Theme: Technic
Year: 2017
Pieces: 365
Price: $29.99 USD, Euro 19.99€, AUD $39.99
Brickset: Extra Info

 

Technic Early 2017 Review Series

Welcome to the sixth in my batch of 2017 Technic reviews! I was offered all the small sets early 2017 for review late last year... but I ended up getting them all! Thus I have a lot to review. I've been doing them in parallel and changing my process as I go so hopefully the latter ones will end up being the best. On that angle I'll probably retcon some of the earlier reviews if I improve my process. Due to this remember that I'm happy to take extra photos or provide extra info on request, and anything especially good will be added to the main body of the review. Do note though that sometimes the model may no longer exist if I have have made an alternate. On the subject of alternates, I will be making the alt model, if I have the instructions, think the model is worth making, and I have the time. Also I'll show mid stage construction only if I think it's relevant. Thus don't ask for construction photos or alt models if they aren't part of the review.... I am prepared to extract parts for detail photos though. Photos will all be hosted on Flickr so larger versions are available, and relevant videos will be on YouTube and linked to from here. I will try to not be repetitive; thus it's worth reading the other reviews. For example I'm not going to complain too much about the digital instructions.

Here's all the other reviews of H1 2017 Technic...

42057 Ultralight Helicopter 
42058 Stunt Bike 
42059 Stunt Truck (and 45058/42059 Combiner) 
42060 Roadwork Crew 
42061 Telehandler 
42062 Container Yard 
42063 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure 
42064 Ocean Explorer 
42065 Tracked Racer 

Mucho multi thanks to the EB LUG Ambassador CopMike and the LEGO CEE Team and Designers for allowing me to review these sets for Eurobricks. So onto the review!

 

Packaging

Front....

 

...back....

 

...top.

 

Unboxing

Standard punch box. Instructions were loose, build is segmented so the 1 bags are for the truck, the 2 bags are for the trailer and digger. Both models have included instructions, covers are of slightly better quality to the pages themselves.

 

1 Bags...

 

... and 2 Bag.

 

It is a good mixture of parts, especially in orange, and new parts being the 40th anniversary 3 beam...

 

...this new opportunity creating connector...

 

...these odd parts...

 

...and the wonderful new worm gear. I unfortunately don't have the other new worm gear, so I'm curious of any opinions and comparisons.

 

Parts list.

 

Random instruction page.

 

Build

It's done! OK, maybe I should back track a bit.

 

The 1 bags build this truck...

 

...with these being the spares.

 

Bag 2 make the trailer...

 

...and the digger...

 

...with these being the spares.

 

Combined Spare parts.

 

The anniversary part is on the bottom of the trailer.

 

Before I start discussing, it's best to watch a video demonstrating the functions..

 

I find these models odd. The digger uses one of my most disliked buckets and uses it's click joint as a function... if it was for the fact that the scale is too small I'd almost be confusing it as a city set... OK, that's going too far, but I do wonder (aside from filling a price point) what is the intention of TLG with these sets. The inclusion of the minifig tools almost makes me think they are trying to bridge Technic and City...

 

...but they seem too small to me, and the digger isn't too pleasant looking either.

 

Mini Gritter with Plow (B Model)

I was curious of this model as I thought it seemed more interesting than the main model.

 

While it does use most of the parts thankfully the bucket is ignored. (The other click joint part is used as a brush.)

 

I think the functions are better than the A model, and here's a video!

 

I love the more complicated tipper mechanism; due to the worm gear this can lock at any position. The steering works well too.

 

I also like how the tracks are used as a conveyor. It makes a good usage counterpoint to the main model. They are geared to be manually turned unfortunately; linked to the wheels would have been more interesting.

 

The anniversary part is better placed too. (The tan pins are used as a simple steering limiter.)

 

Almost walrus compatible too.

 

 

Ratings

Function:

The A model I didn't really like; the steering is average, the tray tipper design has been done a lot, and the digger has overly simplistic arm controls. However I was more pleased with the steering on the Gritter and was impressed by the tipper. Putting those two designs together makes this set an excellent example of steering and tipping.  8/10

Parts:

The set is a very good collection of parts for the set size.  9/10

Price:

It's OK value, but nothing special. 8/10

Accuracy:

The main model isn't too consistent IMHO. The truck is accurate enough, which highlights how the digger is overly ambitious considering the scale, and the trailer is very weak. Personally I think making the digger go in the back of the truck would have worked out better, especially since the main box shot doesn't show the trailer anyway. As for the B model, as an Australian I don't know much about gritters, but a quick web search found a few similar ones.  6/10

Fudge:

Small sets are a challenge to fit in good varied and interesting functions. I think this set has done well all things considered.7/10

 

Overall:

It's a good small set, with some interesting engineering examples.  7/10

[N-4K0]

Having orange as one of the primary colors is the only thing I really like with this set. The truck is nice and the B-model interesting and cool and both look cool in orange, otherwise I don't care much about this set. It doesn't appeal to me to the extent of buying and the B-model is the only thing that makes it worth an "Ok" for me.
I agree they should have ditched the trailer and made the excavator go onto the back of the truck, perhaps used the parts for the trailer to make the truck a bit longer with a longer bed.

Otherwise decent review, Siegfried.

[Saberwing40k]

As a matter of fact, I'd almost go so far as to say that the excavator is a little bit too big for scale. Not a lot of people know this, but excavators this size and smaller do exist. But, to be in scale, the excavator would either have to be smaller, or have a cab. All in all, it's not that good a set, but a good orange parts pack.

 

[Jonfensu]

Thanks for the review. From a Technic perspective it's not interesting, even I could say that the best thing of this set is the re introduction of the rare and expensive 9L beam in orange 

[Lasse D]

Thanks for the review Siegfried. I agree that it would have been nicer with a more "tight" digger, and perhaps sacrifice the trailer for this.

The design of the truck is also very basic. I wonder if they could have made something more interesting if the parts didn't have to be spread on so many micromodels?

[Immo]

For me, it's either B-Model out of the box or a C-Model/parts set. The A-model seems a bit like a "we need just one more small set for the next year's line, gents!" type of design.

[Siegfried]

On 05/02/2017 at 10:40 AM, Error404 said:

Having orange as one of the primary colors is the only thing I really like with this set.

Yeah, I've got a decent amount of orange Technic now....

On 05/02/2017 at 11:19 AM, Saberwing40k said:

As a matter of fact, I'd almost go so far as to say that the excavator is a little bit too big for scale. Not a lot of people know this, but excavators this size and smaller do exist. But, to be in scale, the excavator would either have to be smaller, or have a cab. All in all, it's not that good a set, but a good orange parts pack.

I had one that size in my backyard last month! Came in the back of the truck, not a trailer...

On 05/02/2017 at 1:52 PM, Jonfensu said:

Thanks for the review. From a Technic perspective it's not interesting, even I could say that the best thing of this set is the re introduction of the rare and expensive 9L beam in orange 

 I'm seeing a pattern here.

On 05/02/2017 at 10:42 PM, Lasse D said:

The design of the truck is also very basic. I wonder if they could have made something more interesting if the parts didn't have to be spread on so many micromodels?

Yeah, TLG do seem to like the micro models thing this year. 

On 06/02/2017 at 2:13 AM, Immo said:

For me, it's either B-Model out of the box or a C-Model/parts set. The A-model seems a bit like a "we need just one more small set for the next year's line, gents!" type of design.

I think that is the summary sad to say.

[atl yt]

 

[atl yt]

Lego Technic 42060 Roadwork Crew B - Model - Lego Speed Build Review

 

Edited December 27, 2017 by atl yt

[Aventador2004]

Got this set yesterday, very good, fun model. Thank you for review.