greg3

Ballabreek 2019

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Hello and Happy New Year to you all!!

As has become my custom of recent years, a New Year means a new topic for my LEGO town of Ballabreek...

But what's this...? Deserted streets...? Empty pavements...?

31613830047_4699a447b4_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

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So what's going on? A Zombie Apocalypse? Alien Invasion? Mass New Year Hangover? No it's something far more unlikely.... I've been cleaning!!! For the first time in years I've decided to give the whole town a good dusting which gives a good opportunity to show off the current layout. Those familiar with the town's previous topics will know that as far as possible I try to use official sets (albeit modified to various degrees) so on with the tour...

The Mine (owned by Wayne Industries) is the town's main employer and is made from the official mining sets of 2012 and 2018 (with a bit of extra landscaping)

46554108711_7590970532_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

The Space Technology Centre (MODed car showroom from 60097 City Square) The company owning this has great plans for the upcoming year including a possible moon mission in the summer!!! 

46502232542_48282fb242_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Police and Fire Stations. The Police station is a MODed villain's hideout from set 600009 (Helicopter Arrest), the fire station is a total MOC and is due to be replaced very soon.

46502232372_14c03cdac0_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

The tram stop (again from 60097)

44736683970_9b4c75cf8a_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Convenience store (Based on the shop in set 7848 - Toys'R'Us Truck) and ATM lobby (MODed from Spiderman set 76082)

46502232322_916bee445f_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Hospital (the current official set, 60204, MODed to make it more compact)

44736683110_4f3e49dd00_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

44736681010_dab4df025d_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Main shopping street: LEGO Store (40145), Newsstand (60154 Bus Station), Gemstore (MODed 31050 Sandwich Shop), Bike shop and Hairdressers (MODed 31026 Bike Shop and Cafe)

44736680680_0ee334e673_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Residential area (31065 Park Street Townhouse x2)

44736682710_80eecbd375_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Beach Burger Bar (MODed pizza place from 60026 Town Square)

31613554217_87c458c6da_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Dive Store (MODed "burning building" from 60003 Fire Emergency)

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Coastguard Station (60167)

31613554907_bcd2f288e5_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

The Chapel - a complete MOC based on an actual building. Like the fire station, it's days are numbered as I don't think it really fits in any more. (Although I said that this time last year but it survived - divine intervention maybe? :grin:)

46554121451_79d7848156_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Finally back to the harbour area where I've discovered one of the blue baseplates is becoming quite discoloured. Replacing it would involve dismantling the sea wall promenade/boardwalk area which is no simple task, so I thought I'd try covering it up with 1x1 trans blue round plates (off to Bricklink for some more!!)... I think it looks OK but any comments or suggestions are very welcome!!

31613555607_1f217fcc5a_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

32681815708_e05cecc9c0_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Right, back to my dusting I suppose, and then the citizens of Ballabreek can return to their lives. So what will 2019 have in store for them? I guess we'll have to wait and see!!

As always, thanks for looking and any feedback/comments is more than welcome!!

 

Edited by greg3

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Dusting...what’s that?:tongue: I only ever dust when I’m taking a picture, and only the area I’m focused on. 

Always enjoy your updates, it’s a fun way to show your latest purchases. As for your sea problem, 1x2 trans blue tiles looks great(but may be more expensive than the 1x1 rounds approach).

A slight correction as well, the newsstand is from 60154 Bus Station.

Edited by Vindicare

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On 1/3/2019 at 12:32 AM, Vindicare said:

A slight correction as well, the newsstand is from 60154 Bus Station.

Thanks for spotting that.. now fixed!!

Well the dusting is all done and now the holidays are over, the citizens of Ballabreek are back to their everyday lives...

Down at the fire station they're getting their first look at the town's newest fire engine...

45690875785_cbe418d12c_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Larger than the current appliance, it can carry more equipment and personnel, is more economical to run and is better suited to off road operations (an important factor given the town's growing popularity as a base for outdoor activities). As with any fire engine, its lights and siren is popular with the kids!!

45690875305_f77d1b7786_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Unfortunately though there is one problem with it... it doesn't fit in the current fire station garage!!

"We're gonna need a bigger station!!"

46605182291_d2c5401baa_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Rather than simply enlarge the current station, the decision has been taken to demolish it and replace it with a more modern structure (as well as its size, the old building suffers from damp and needs an updated communications and IT system too). With the road closed and the area cleared ready for demolition to start next week, the opportunity was taken to let the locals have one last look around...

31664062487_bf8c81a309_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

While some enjoy a brief tour and talk on the history of the building...

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Others are enjoying getting a closer look at the equipment and vehicles...

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Finally, before it gets relegated to the "great parts bin in the sky" a quick look back at how the current engine, 60004, (an old MOD of an official set) has served the local community over the last few years...

Of course it's helped fight fires...

45691039405_098c85a697.jpg17081308635_82cc08620e_c by g.nat, on Flickr

Deal with car crashes...

45691038045_c2ae8f66a9_c.jpg32167037305_995d643558_c by g.nat, on Flickr

And the inevitable "child stuck in railings"!! (don't worry, he's going to cut the railing off, not the kid's head!!)

46605181881_8a5e4acf2d_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

It's also provided emergency cover for events (such as motorsport)

45691038245_1e33a666ee_c.jpg27322843726_b5399e26dc_c by g.nat, on Flickr

And even helped raise money by staring in a charity calendar (along with Mr June... whose colleagues have never let him forget!!) 

46553198872_2a7dce9639_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

So there we have it... the end of an era. We can only hope that the new fire truck and station can play just as important a part in protecting the citizens of Ballabreek!!

As I mentioned last time, the fire station is one of the few buildings in the town that aren't MODs of official sets and with the new fire station being released I thought it was time for a change (the old fire truck itself is also too small compared to the modern vehicles being released) Ironically though, internally the new fire station garage is actually smaller than my one!! It's longer but narrower - the truck does fit in though...just!! The office/accommodation tower will need MODding to fit it in the available space but my construction teams aim to have the new station ready to operate by the end of the month - so watch out for more updates on their progress!! (And don't worry, during this time, the fire bike will be stationed at the police station to provide first response cover. For larger incidents, engines will come from neighbouring towns) 

Anyway, thanks for looking and, as always, comments are more than welcome!!

 

Edited by greg3

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Thanks for the comments... now a quick check on the construction crew's progress!!

As you can see, the old fire station has been demolished and the last of the demolition debris is awaiting removal...

39751875583_9218bfe16c_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

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Also, the foundations for the new building have been laid ready for construction of the main structure to begin next week...

32841903148_be163529d6_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

In the meantime an unexpected discovery has been attracting a lot of local attention. Found in a bricked up cellar beneath the old fire station, the collection of wood and metal appears to be some sort of portable pump...

39751874493_afd47cc949_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

A local historian was called in and he confirmed that the workers had actually found Ballabreek's first ever fire engine!!

46716852771_0bc9904cd1_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

The hand drawn and operated pump dates back to 1749 and is based on a design by 18th century English inventor Richard Newsham. Despite its appearance, it's in remarkably good condition for its age; being more or less complete (and even having some of its original paint!).

31775451777_6428736abf_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

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Records show that it served the townspeople for over 150 years before being replaced with a horse drawn steam powered pump and stored in the cellar below the Victorian-era fire station. Over time, the building was rebuilt several times and the cellar blocked off and forgotten. Now a group of local history enthusiasts (and a few of the current firefighters) have decided to restore the pump to its former glory. Their aim is to have it ready for the opening of the new fire station!! (no pressure then!) Will they succeed? Watch this space!!!

The inspiration for this update came from this old MOC I made many years ago...

45992345564_1b265ec531_c.jpgimage by g.nat, on Flickr

Looking back at it, I like the idea but think I can do better and create a more accurate version. I've come up with a design which it still needs tweaking so I've set myself the challenge of completing it by the end of the month, hence the story line about the restoration of an old fire engine!! I also wanted to use some of the parts from the new fire/construction sets!! 

Finally an overview of the construction site...

45801657105_bc8c01b831_c.jpgimage by g.nat, on Flickr

Thanks for looking... comments welcome as always!!

 

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This week has seen the building work continuing and the new fire station is beginning to take shape...

46079182684_49b382de3b_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

As you can see, a crane has been erected to allow the large structural sections to be moved into position easily...

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The framework for the mainly glass walls can then be added (some of you might notice that "my workers" had put the white 1x12 brick in the wrong place last week :blush: but my their error has been corrected and the build is back on track!!)

45888892435_ba89b86f3b_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

This area will be the office section of the station.

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Overview of the site...

46079822924_86ccdd7197_c.jpgblob by g.nat, on Flickr

For this update, I wanted to get some use from the crane in the new fire set and this seemed a good way to do it. It's also a while since I've made a scene showing construction work going on in my town - the last few new buildings have simply appeared and I'm quite enjoying watching the building appear gradually!!

Anyway, as always thanks for looking... 

Edited by greg3

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Another fun update! It is fun seeing minifigs help out in the construction of a set. 

Your pictures really make your town seem bigger than it is. I’ve alwys enjoyed that about your layout. 

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Excellent, one of my favourite threads is back! Your stories are excellent, and I agree with @Vindicare that the town seems bigger than it is with your photos. I'm excited to see what the year holds for the place.

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On 1/20/2019 at 4:31 AM, Vindicare said:

Another fun update! It is fun seeing minifigs help out in the construction of a set. 

Your pictures really make your town seem bigger than it is. I’ve alwys enjoyed that about your layout. 

 

On 1/23/2019 at 9:44 PM, ColletArrow said:

Excellent, one of my favourite threads is back! Your stories are excellent, and I agree with @Vindicare that the town seems bigger than it is with your photos. I'm excited to see what the year holds for the place.

Thanks for the comments - I have to admit my photography tends to be a bit hit and miss but I'm glad you like the results!!

Anyway, this week, work on the new fire station has continued with the addition of the roof - complete with some cutting edge technology in the form of a drone landing pad/charging cradle. Here you can see it being carefully lifted into position...

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The workers can then move in to secure it in place...

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Once the station becomes operational, the drone will provide useful aerial views of incidents at a fraction of the cost of a helicopter. 

Now the more observant of you may have noticed that one of the workers from last week, a certain Emmet Brickowski, is missing this week. This is because, as these images show, a few days ago he was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to a police car!! 

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The exact circumstances of the incident are not yet know (nor is the identity of his black-clad female accomplice) but investigations are continuing!!

The last few pics are from a potential comic story I have planned using the Lego Movie and Lego Movie 2 sets. I've often got several story ideas floating around in my head but I've not had much luck with converting them into finished comic stories; either LEGO cancels the theme (I'm looking at you TMNT and Ultra Agents!!) or I just never get around to completing it (I still hope to finish my current Batman story!)  so I'm not posting this one until I have it all finished. But as it needed a construction site setting I thought I'd post a couple of "teaser pics"!! 

As always, thanks for looking!!

 

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On 1/27/2019 at 12:22 AM, Vindicare said:

Oh no, Emmet! He said gone down a dark path some nice he saved Bricksburg...:cry_sad:

Or perhaps this is him helping to save Bricksburg?!... I have a very complicated story in mind involving; time travel, killer robots, cyborg pirates, superheroes, apocalyptic alien invasions and alternative timelines - whether these ideas ever see the light of day though remains to be seen!! 

In the meantime, even without Emmet's help, construction of the fire station nears completion this week...

39999080603_0c1e3ab79a_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

As the last details of the exterior are added, all that remains now is to fit out the interior of the office and the station will be ready for its official opening next weekend!!

46049638725_d63c6b4ccd_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

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And for those of you wondering about the restoration of the antique fire engine found during construction, that work is also just about finished. Here's a sneak peak at it restored to its former glory and due to be revealed to the town's minifigs at the station opening...

39999080403_69f5e90734_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

As always, thanks for looking!!

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Sounds like quite the interesting twist & turns may be coming to Ballabreek...I look forward to it. 

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Well after a month, construction of the new fire station is complete (as you can see, it's nothing spectacular - basically the official set with a modified office)

47041267251_c0e02d6656_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

46317404894_96556e9cc1_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

As Ballabreek operates a retained fire service (the firefighters have other jobs and are only called out when needed) there's no need for the recreation area but the design could be adapted in future by building more storeys on top of the office.

47041267271_f96edae0d3_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

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To mark it's opening, this weekend has seen the locals treated to a taste of the town's firefighting history...

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From its first fire engine  (dating back to the 1700s) and recently discovered and restored...

32099518527_e6552dbba2_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

46127536865_ef723b9001_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

.. through to the town's first motorised fire engine (introduced in 1932)...

40076410953_57a76006a6_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

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... and right up to the latest hi-tec appliances!

40076410753_a34a749de7_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

As you can see I had to MOD the rear slightly so the hose reel didn't stick out and hit the tram when in the garage!!

33166072178_e1c97fc56b_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

It's still a close fit!!

40076506613_d943c186c7_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

And of course we have a taste of the future of firefighting with the drone - at the moment its only used for command/control, surveillance and to cut down on unnecessary/hoax calls.

46989184812_bc3c9e727e_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

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So there we go, the citizens of Ballabreek can relax - knowing that as they go about their daily lives, their proud history of fire protection continues!!

46317474774_05073307dc_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

As always thanks for looking - unfortunately, due to sickness (mine!) a planned display of the old manual fire engine in action has been postponed to another time (it may even get its own topic as I think it looks pretty cool!!)

Cheers!

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This week has seen some bizarre sights down by the harbour...

33239687198_fcd03cb36b_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

So what is going on? A weird alien invasion? Hallucinogenic drugs in the water supply? No... it's just art!! A recent kids competition has been held by the Ballabreek Arts Council and a local crayon company. Minifigure children were asked to draw whatever popped into their minds... the best entries have been turned into giant 3d sculptures and here are the results... 

Clara the Cheerful Car - Congestion, roadworks, parking tickets... nothing can stop her smiling!!

47114974551_cd1176fae3_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Dave the Dinosaur.... because who doesn't love a dino!?

47062775512_fe20f4a74f_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

A Ballabreek butterfly... spreading happiness wherever she flutters!!

47114974591_027c11b8c3_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Harriet the Happy Horse - it's a horse, it's happy, it's called Harriet!!

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Shhh... the rocket may be asleep at the moment but soon she'll be taking off on new adventures!!

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Little Blue... the sad whale. He's sad because we're polluting his home and killing his friends (that got less cheerful pretty quickly didn't it?)

47114975051_3d6d358096_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

The sculptures will remain on display this week for my minifigures to enjoy, before being "auctioned" off for a local Ballabreek charity... in the meantime, a few more pics...

46391287544_d8ce8fefd8_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

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And finally a word from our sponsors... the competition couldn't have happened without the support of "Crown Crayons" (hence the crowns on all the models!!) Here's the company mascot Doodle the Crayon giving out information about their products (and their next competition... "Design a food based character" What will it be? A giant clumsy banana, a cheerful ice cream cone butler, a worried chocolate bar or something else? Maybe we'll find out in a future update!!)

46391286814_0be269065d_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Well no prizes for guessing what sets I've recently bought!! The Queen Whatevra sets weren't high on my list of things to buy but after seeing the movie, I decided why not. I have to say they're a lot of fun (it's nice now and again to not have to worry about scale and realism while building!) I'd originally planned to just use the heart for a Valentine's themed update but I got a bit carried away!! So far I've stuck to the official builds - I thought they'd add a bit of colour to my town for a bit but they seem to have sparked my minifigs creativity so who knows what we might see in future!!  

Thanks for looking.... comments are always welcome!!

 

Edited by greg3

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This week, most of my "LEGO time" has been spent working on some military themed MOCs but the ever resourceful citizens of Ballabreek have managed to find a use for one of them!! A group of minifigs have started a campaign to get a local war hero the recognition he deserves.

Born in Ballabreek in 1919 and the son of of the local doctor, Thomas Lhee dropped out of medical school to join the army in 1940 keen to "do his bit for King and country". He served throughout the war and on returning home completed his studies and followed in his father's footsteps, serving the people of Ballabreek as their local doctor for over 50 years. Known for his dedication, professionalism and compassion he was much loved by the locals. Throughout his career he never mentioned his wartime service but after his death earlier this year (aged 99) his family discovered a number of medals and diaries hidden away in a drawer. Their research has uncovered a tale of heroism which revealed how Thomas risked his life again and again as an unarmed medic to rescue wounded men while under fire, sometimes disobeying orders to do what he believed was the right thing and save a life. 

Moved by his story, a group of locals want to see the town mark his bravery with some sort of memorial (it has been suggested that the hospital be renamed after him) and so they've begun a petition to make this happen. In order to gain some publicity for their campaign, the Ballabreek Military History Society has loaned them a restored WW2 ambulance of the sort Thomas would have used. As you can see, it's certainly drawn in the crowds!!

40221337593_3c5d5e0640_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

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A re-enactor tells the story of Dr Lhee

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The ambulance itself fascinates both young and old...

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Signing the all important petition...

46462440844_4bf96b8e4b_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Finally, the man himself... doctor, soldier, hero...

32246051157_b167d98382.jpgScreen Shot 2019-02-23 at 17.03.54 by g.nat, on Flickr

This was a quickly made up backstory to explain why a WW2 ambulance would be in the town!! To find out more about the ambulance MOC itself (which would have actually been used by New Zealand troops) check out this thread

Oh and his name... "Lhee" is the Manx word for "doctor"

Anyway, thanks for looking.... comments are always welcome!!

Edited by greg3

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A couple of good updates! Those food ideas for the next competition sound very specific...:laugh:

A nice looking ambulance there too. I like the “rolled up” back canopy. Creative. 

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I very much enjoy the updates about what's happening in Ballabreek. Eagerly waiting for next update!

 

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Nothing too fancy this week I'm afraid!! I've just been tweaking the harbour area and adding a slipway (it used to have one but it was removed some time ago - since then a number of local minifigs have been campaigning for its return to encourage more people to make use of the harbour). We'll just have to see if it's worked!!

Overview

32325800637_e6f8f72200_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

This is actually the second version of this I built this week as I had originally put the slipway in front of the dive shop (where the white boat is) but decided that this arrangement made more sense as it allows largish boats to moor up without blocking the entrance.

33391949978_056745fc1d_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

The harbour should come alive once the weather warms up but for now we see members of the local Dive Club loading up their new boat (this week's Lego purchase!)...

47215745152_506e167166_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Finally the view out to sea. Originally the sea was just blue baseplates but as I mentioned when I started this topic, I wanted to try something more realistic. (I really like the effect but it ended up requiring several Bricklink orders and now I'm sick of the sight of 1x1 trans blue round plates!!)

33391949758_440148f6f8_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

As usual, thanks for looking... comments are always welcome!!

 

 

Edited by greg3

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Today's update sees some of the locals heading off into the countryside as part of an annual tradition... but where are they going? 

47402890711_a17d3c5558_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

46487642115_db3e848d18_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

The answer lies in a nearby field where they seem to be queuing up to peer inside a strange stone structure...

40437157683_45cbde1b8d_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

47402765761_4dcf9ed35f_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

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So what are they looking at? And why today? Any ideas? I'll post the answer later in a separate topic (This has been a bit of a rush build and I need to take a few more detailed pics. It's based on a local structure I never knew existed until I saw a news item on it earlier!!)

Anyway thanks for looking - and Happy St Patrick's Day!!

Edited by greg3

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This week has seen some changes to what was my layout's oldest unchanged building - the convenience store. 

First added to the town in 2010, it was based on an official Lego design (7848 Toys R Us truck and store) but I turned it into a local store serving the local citizen's needs for everyday items; bread, milk, newspapers etc.

Recently, business has been suffering due to online shopping and the lower prices in larger supermarkets in nearby towns so the owner decided to sell up. Fortunately, the store has been bought by a company called "City Food Market". The business is run by a charity that buys up land and retail premises and then rents them out to groups of local farmers, allotment owners and other small scale producers giving them a chance to get their produce to a wider audience. The aim is to support local growers, encourage environmentally sustainable food production and improve people's health. Now their latest store has opened in Ballabreek we'll have to see if it's successful!!

I've given it's own topic here but for now here's a few pics of it in the town, along with it's backstory!!

The original building...

32515132187_9be0ffb974_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

And after a lick of paint and some rebranding... 

40490405883_d8d771db4d_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

47456382761_81b6118d1a_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

The interior has been given a make over too... (it was a bit hard to take a decent photo from this angle!)

47456382121_d8c896bc3e_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

So far it seems to be popular with the locals... hopefully this will continue!!

46541195465_0dafc238f4_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

This whole idea came about after I got the new Xtra City Stickers set from Lego which I think are great - they remind me of the stickers you used to get in the official ideas books back in the 80s/90s. I was debating turning the shop into a pet store but as someone who wouldn't recognise a healthy vegetable if you hit me over the head with one, I thought at least my minifigs should have access to healthy food!!

Thanks for looking - comments are always welcome!

 

 

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This weekend, the locals have been getting a glimpse of Ballabreek's ancient history: a prehistoric grave first discovered back in the 1930's by a local archaeologist.

After discovering the stone lined grave in a nearby field, the bones and other artefacts were sent off to London for examination but when World War 2 broke out they were forgotten. Recently rediscovered in a museum storeroom, advanced forensic techniques have begun to unlock their secrets. 

While the bones themselves are still being studied, a replica of the grave is on display...

46593530075_b5a623f67e_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

33632294258_24413f740c_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Also found with the burial were some unusual grave goods which are displayed here...

32566684617_296060cdaf_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

One is a carved stone club. Originally assumed to be a weapon or hunting tool, now microscopic analysis has revealed signs of white pigments suggesting that it might have been painted. Perhaps it had another use?

46593944935_4331b645c8_c.jpgimage by g.nat, on Flickr

Even more unusual is an almost perfectly carved sphere of polished black stone. Three small circular depressions in its surface has led the archaeologists to nickname it the "bowling ball". It's actual purpose is unknown but believed to have been of great ritual/religious significance as it was found with the skeleton's hand resting on it.

40543514153_b2c00fab97_c.jpgimage by g.nat, on Flickr

As to the bones themselves, when first discovered they were identified as the remains of a prehistoric adult male but now modern technology has revealed so much more.

DNA analysis of the bones and facial reconstruction based on the skull has allowed us to see how he might have looked when alive. Microscopic fibres found preserved stuck to the bones have even allowed his clothing to be recreated... so could this be the face of one of Ballabreek's oldest inhabitants?

46593530165_526cc6e19e_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Keen to learn more about the area's prehistory, a group of archaeologists are preparing to excavate the area around the original gravesite. Already their preliminary surveys have suggested larger structures (perhaps a settlement) lay just below the surface and they hope that public events like this will generate interest in their work. It's already led to calls for the town to have its own  museum to display local finds like this.

A few more pics...

46593530205_4fa434be1f_c.jpgUntitled by g.nat, on Flickr

46594128125_399e7d1003_c.jpgimage by g.nat, on Flickr

46785273604_9acc3c7b54_c.jpgimage by g.nat, on Flickr

This is my attempt to get the Flintstones set into Ballabreek... so was my town originally the real "Bedrock" or is this just the archaeologists attempt at an early April Fool's prank? I guess only time will tell!!

As always, thanks for looking!!

 

 

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