Jetflap

Childhood Layouts! (Meanwhile, back in 1980-something...)

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16 hours ago, Reza said:

The set 7750 also sold for 3 years but only in Germany, Netherland and Belgium (not in UK, France, Italy!).

That explains why I could never find it over here!! I must have driven my parents mad with trying to track it down as it was prominently featured in all the advertising layouts on the back of instructions, as well as in 7777...

15 hours ago, Reza said:

By the way, who agrees with me that train 7735 is the less attractive 12V train?

I like it, it’s quirky and I like the red/yellow colour scheme. The worst to my mind is 7755 which is neither exciting to build nor to look at. 

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Holger, that's a great layout! I see yours more as a Train layout that happens to have some Town buildings, where as mine was more of a Town layout that happened to have a Train. The lack of 12v in the US is obvious when comparing the layouts. I like your apparent use of light posts to light up your switch controls! I was wondering how, when you were a child, you acquired all the yellow Technic needed for the ramps and bridges? 

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18 hours ago, Reza said:

I consider 7735 the worst 12v train!

BS. It has more to offer than 7725.

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1 hour ago, 3797 said:

BS. It has more to offer than 7725.

More to offer in what sense? In terms of parts, propably. But I think 7725 is pretty and cute. Personally, I don't like the look of 7735. Seems many people don't agree with me :-)

3 hours ago, PeteM said:

That explains why I could never find it over here!! I must have driven my parents mad with trying to track it down as it was prominently featured in all the advertising layouts on the back of instructions, as well as in 7777...

I like it, it’s quirky and I like the red/yellow colour scheme. The worst to my mind is 7755 which is neither exciting to build nor to look at. 

I find 7755 as good as 7760.

I guess everybody agree that 7750 is the prettiest one?

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3 hours ago, James Mathis said:

So cool that you have the town bank and the train cargo crane. In the USA, I remember seeing those available only via the S@H mail order catalog.  If memory serves, it took a fair few weeks to order, process, and receive the S@H sets in the 80s. I see on your shelf boxes, a blue and yellow crane, as well, that I only ever saw in the S@H mail order. I'm wondering if those sets in the USA market were only available via the S@H mail order service, or did some brick-and-mortar toy shops offer these sets?

I also recall that some of the train accessory/trackside sets offered in the USA S@H catalog such as that trackside crane (and auto carrier?) each included two 12-volt gray conducting rails. In response to whether 12v trains were offered for sale in the USA, I like to cheekily say, "yes-- kind of." Learning of the 12-volt train system, and that it never made its way fully "across the pond" was exasperating for this child of the 80s. Luckily, my dad had a business trip to England in 1982 and returned with the glorious 7740. I drooled longingly over the 12-volt trains pictured in the in-box catalog for years, eventually securing additional track and a few train cars from friendly contacts in England.

 

Nice layout, and great MOCs! I never did anything that extensive, generally leaving my sets the way they came. I only had a few classic space sets which I didn't care as much for and a small amount of loose bricks that I used to build my own creations. My parents got a lot of sets from S@H for me, including the crane set (1489). It would be interesting to create a list of S@H exclusives from that era, I don't think I've seen such a list before. I doubt any brick and mortar store sold these sets, as the catalogs specifically mention them as exclusive. I think some rare sets were exclusive to Brick Kicks subscribers too?

You are very fortunate to have had 12v sets as a child in the US! Although in hindsight, it is maybe better I didn't even know they existed. They did not appear in any catalog I ever got my hands on anyway. I first learned about their existence when Bricklink was first created. I was shocked (and awed) to learn about them! I remember when I was little being idly curious about the extra rails included with both Container Crane (7823) and Car Transport Depot (7839). I also received a crossing with the electric rails. Not sure why that was what was available instead of the one without in the US. Incidentally, the one without electric rails are harder to find compared to ones with rails. I think I just assumed these odd metal rails were for some future electric train system that Lego decided not to make! Little did I know. Also the Manual Level Crossing (7835) which I had in my youth has a provision to install conducting rails, although they were not included. I don't think the instructions show how to do this, but it might be on the back of the box, I can't remember.

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@James Mathis, thanks for sharing your old pictures and memories! Great to see so many US-only sets which were not released in Europe in the regular way. But on the other side I am happy that I got so much 12v stuff back in the 80s for birthday and Christmas presents.

All my yellow Technic beams came from supplemental sets like 871 and 874 (I guess).

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@HoMa I’d not thought much of sets exclusive to the US market. Must have really been a different kind of company structure back then with separate independencies to explore and offer unique sets to regional market.  I had (and have) the 7777 Idea book. I used to dream of being able to build the massive layout— and there it is, you did it! You were able to build it: very cool. Now, you’ve produced your own Idea book: very cool, indeed!

Edited by James Mathis

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22 hours ago, Jetflap said:

Holger, that's a great layout! I see yours more as a Train layout that happens to have some Town buildings, where as mine was more of a Town layout that happened to have a Train. The lack of 12v in the US is obvious when comparing the layouts. I like your apparent use of light posts to light up your switch controls! I was wondering how, when you were a child, you acquired all the yellow Technic needed for the ramps and bridges? 

I didn't find where you are referring to here? "I like your apparent use of light posts to light up your switch controls!"

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It's really cool to see all of these great layouts!  I never had a place to keep my LEGO on display, and had to tear it down after every build during the 80s and 90s.

Also, look at all of those old Castle sets!  So awesome.

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1 hour ago, Reza said:

I didn't find where you are referring to here? "I like your apparent use of light posts to light up your switch controls!"

Holger's post, top center of first photo, the 2 light posts on the control console.

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Ok, "nostalgic mode" activated...:wub:

I remember my  first train...it was the 7710 and came home in 1981 for apparently no reason (it was not Christmas or my birthday). My father and I built it the day after (saturday). A month later it was powered with 4.5 motor and battery wagon came after we ordered it to Lego Italy.

On Christmas 1982 came the 7720 (which still is one of my favourite sets) and the 7810.

7810 got  a 4,5v motor too after awhile. I remember changing the battery wagon between 7720 and 7810 since we never got a third battery car.

My first layout was a long single track going from my bedroom to the living room (with some switches in the middle part to allow two trains on the same track). At the two ends, a reversing loop and a pair of dead end track. Everything made with the help of my father, I was 5 at the time. He liked those little trains too.

Then came 7730 and 7740 in 1983, and the 12v layout during the same year became the classic "8" with two switches and a signal. But I kept running the 4.5v trains, asking for light bricks, tracks and other motors and parts. I always asked for Lego, no other toys interested me at the time. I had Hot Wheels, but nothing serious.

When my mother gave me the 7777 book (I made a very good classwork!!! :laugh:), then both 4.5v and 12v worlds began to expand. I got train books, Lima and Rivarossi catalogs...everything I search now on Google without any effort was like discovering America or landing on the moon for me. Movies like "Runaway Train" or "Silver Streak" were documents, not films!

The last Lego train set I ever wanted was the epic 7760. But it was too late, 7745 and 7735 were on stores (and I did not like them - I liked them more when I bought them some years ago). So I continued to ask for 12v motors,and accessories, lights, points, signals and I began to build my trains myself. It was 1986 and the first "MOC" was a true legend found on an english course book...the English Electric DP1 - the iconic "DELTIC". It was extremely long and used two 12v motors. Then I tried to motorize it with two 4.5v technic motors, but the bogies were quite impossible to build - so it was scrapped. I continued to mix Technic and Trains worlds.

From 1986 I began sharing my time between the Lego Trains, Nikko RC cars "Turbo Panther" and "Bison", and the Commodore 128. 

Never had a 9v train before I was 30 (Metroliner + panoramic car + another middle car) - nice set!!!

"Nostalgic mode" off. Maybe. :blush:

 

 

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On 03.02.2018 at 8:10 AM, Reza said:

The set 7750 also sold for 3 years but only in Germany, Netherland and Belgium (not in UK, France, Italy!). Having watched all markets, I can say that 

 

I think the 7750 was also sold in Austria and Switzerland, you can see the country list at the end of the catalog from 1982
https://images.brickset.com/library/Catalogues/c82eutr.pdf
 

On the sticker sheet you have the Swiss Rail logo " <-|-> "

7750stk01.png

 

Edited by freestorm

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On 2/5/2018 at 11:36 PM, freestorm said:
On 2/3/2018 at 7:10 AM, Reza said:

The set 7750 also sold for 3 years but only in Germany, Netherland and Belgium (not in UK, France, Italy!). Having watched all markets, I can say that 

 

I think the 7750 was also sold in Austria and Switzerland, you can see the country list at the end of the catalog from 1982
https://images.brickset.com/library/Catalogues/c82eutr.pdf
 

On the sticker sheet you have the Swiss Rail logo " <-|-> "

OK, so this has been bugging me. If 7750 wasn't released in the UK, why is the British Railways "double arrow" logo represented (2nd from the right)? Especially since no steam engine ever wore that logo*? I suppose the latter is because that was the logo in use at the time. I would love to see what they would have done with today's privatised mess.

*Not entirely true - the Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge line in Wales ended up owned and run by BR. Therefore, their steam engines wore BR blue with the double arrows logo, the only ones (I think) to have done so.

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On 2/5/2018 at 3:36 PM, freestorm said:

I think the 7750 was also sold in Austria and Switzerland, you can see the country list at the end of the catalog from 1982
https://images.brickset.com/library/Catalogues/c82eutr.pdf
 

On the sticker sheet you have the Swiss Rail logo " <-|-> "

7750stk01.png

 

Yes it was. Some retailers sold it in other parts of the world too, like in Hong Cong!
here it is my evidence

Lego train catalog, 7750 not available in UK, FR, It

 

2 hours ago, ColletArrow said:

OK, so this has been bugging me. If 7750 wasn't released in the UK, why is the British Railways "double arrow" logo represented (2nd from the right)? Especially since no steam engine ever wore that logo*? I suppose the latter is because that was the logo in use at the time. I would love to see what they would have done with today's privatised mess.

*Not entirely true - the Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge line in Wales ended up owned and run by BR. Therefore, their steam engines wore BR blue with the double arrows logo, the only ones (I think) to have done so.

Maybe they wanted to sell it in UK, France and Italy too at the time they designed the sticker sheet but then they changed their mind. And why didn't they sell it in these countries? I cannot find any reason.
In the above comment, I scanned one page of a small trian catalog stating that 7750 was not avialable in UK, France and Italy. If you check bricklink, the following item  thatonly appeared in 7750 is not sold by any store in these three countries, except few. (they buy their supply of Lego from different countries anyway)
3134 Black Brick, Modified 1 x 2 with Cable Holding Cutout 

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Weren't all of those countries (UK included) standard on the stickers for most of the train sets at the time? So even if you didn't live in the UK but you picked their logo on your other lego train set you could sticker your new steam engine accordingly?

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Just stumbled upon this thread and I've really enjoyed looking at the pics of your old layouts @Jetflap. I grew up in the same era and it was always my dream as a kid to have a large layout like yours. Although I had plenty of sets, we didn't have space at home for a large permanent layout.

I remember as a child looking through the old lego catalogues, I always desperately wanted to recreate those beautiful townscapes that lego used to print. Like this sort of thing below for example.

https://goo.gl/images/QzbgCA

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I’ve been away from the forum for a while, busy building my biggest layout yet, but have been reading over the last few weeks and finally got round to digging out a few pics not quite from my childhood but my early twenties, before disposable income and a permanent space at home were things... This layout was in a borrowed room in the church I worked for at the time, probably 1997 if I remember/guess rightly. Image quality isn’t great but will give you an idea of what I had at the time and enjoyed, even though it was a temporary set up. 

836fc704-ca33-4987-8aa5-0a0c5e0f727e.jpe

ede173b4-fc17-4dad-84fa-62100f9a92d9.jpe

I has the 7777 book too, and was very nostalgic to see @HoMa posted pics of his version of the main layout in it, very nice!

Edited by Andy Glascott
Typos

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@Bricked1980 Oh yes, I used to spend hours looking at the layouts in the old catalogs too. They were full of them! It's still my dream to have another layout again, only bigger and better of course. Up on tables and with the same sort of backdrop the catalogs always used, with the green rolling hills. I've seen photos of layouts where collectors did a good job of recreating the effect. Looking at that catalog you linked, I can see I will need more trees, I have about 10 packs worth or so but that won't be enough! I have been stockpiling track, vintage base plates and such in hopes I get one done someday. It will be all official sets, except for some of my 7777 sets if they fit in with the feel of it.

 

@Andy Glascott That's a great layout, thanks for sharing. The custom buildings especially the blue platform/station look awesome. Must have taken some serious talent to run both those intersecting inner loops simultaneously!

 

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On 2/18/2018 at 2:03 AM, Jetflap said:

@Bricked1980 Oh yes, I used to spend hours looking at the layouts in the old catalogs too. They were full of them! It's still my dream to have another layout again, only bigger and better of course. Up on tables and with the same sort of backdrop the catalogs always used, with the green rolling hills.

Other ones that used to really captivate me as a child were these wonderful Lego Pirates displays. These old photographed displays certainly had more charm than the modern equivalents with computer generated backgrounds etc.

16.jpg

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