Building 240/241

[SDLgo9]

By analogy with the 'Building 7777' thread, here's my attempt at reconstructing one of the models from the 241 idea book -- the 2-2-2 locomotive and train seen on page 81. Ideally I'd have made the coaches slightly taller so the minifigs could sit on the seats, but for now I've kept to the original dimensions.

I didn't make any attempt to restrict myself to parts available at the time, but apart from embellishing it with minifigs and a couple of cheese wedges I think I've more or less matched the original outline. I found it interesting that the original designer came up with something so different from the 'black slopes on top of a motor' style that was so prevalent then.

 

 

[zephyr1934]

Nice work restoring this artifact! Some really advanced techniques given the parts at the time

[LegoAlf]

I must admit I'm a great fan of the 60s & 70s trains (no wonder, I was born in '66 and got my first 12V train at the age of 7).

I had the 241 and 242 idea books and love them to this day - way more than 7777. I'm still astouned of the building techniques they used and of the models found all through these books.
Just take a look at the Apollo Saturn scenery - absolutely fabulous.
I have re-built a few of the train and waggon models myself. And I think it's time for me to build some more old style trains, waggons houses, cars, ships ...

I have a lot of respect for some of the designers who create detailed locomotives these days. But the models from the early 60s and 70s remain my favorites. I just prefer the somewhat toy-like construction style.
This is one of the reasons why I'm planing a new layout with 12v blue tracks - and in contrast I might be doing my first steps into dcc-ex for train control with the old 12V system.

 

 

[SDLgo9]

I remember thinking at first that the world of 241 looked rather bleak without minifigures, though a few of the scenes have brick-built figures (such as the circus train at the bottom of page 84, or the station on page 70). But the lack of minifigs does open up the possibility of models that aren't at minifig-scale (such as the circus train on p84 again, the jet-powered train on page 27 or the microscale monorail on page 94).

Since my original posting I've built some of the other 240 and 241 models, which can be found on my YouTube channel: 240, 241.

[Man with a hat]

Oh nice. Actually that train looks quite good. I have 7777, but didn't know about (actually never looked for older ideas books) not 240 or 241. But it looks like there are some really nice models in there, especially considering the time. 

[SDLgo9]

Here are a couple more from 241: The circus train from p84 that I mentioned above, and the double-track viaduct from p85.