Cran

May I introduce me and my Town?

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for the zoo i can give you a few tidbits

(tiddy bit photos)

Very clever builds, easily recognizable!

The different heights are an aspect i put focus on from the early beginning, cause i wanted tunnels, playable cellars, pools, construction holes and the such. And a castle on the same level as the rest of the town would be just stupid.

That is one of my favorite things about your city. I hope to add basic topography to my future layout. I understand why many don't or can't do this, but it's always something I'd like like to incorporate, though I'd probably use materials model RR's use instead of bricks... wood and foam; much cheaper :classic:

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That is one of my favorite things about your city. I hope to add basic topography to my future layout. I understand why many don't or can't do this, but it's always something I'd like like to incorporate, though I'd probably use materials model RR's use instead of bricks... wood and foam; much cheaper :classic:

The main problem with hills is not the quantity of material used, just pillars and beams inside spare a lot. But as my town is not modular at all (to guarantee the 80ies-look, buildings often stand on the crossings of different bps), hills are like giant hulls with just some support points. These points are mostly always not the same as the splits given by the bps, so a decomposition of hills for transport ist just hell.

Edited by Cran

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Your layout is very impressive! You must have a great Universal Building Set collection to be able to build all those MOCs. That Fire Station looks really good- in fact, the whole thing looks a two-page spread right out of a 1980's Idea Book, but turned way up. I'm looking forward to seeing more updates- I love your brick-built animals!!

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Your layout is very impressive! You must have a great Universal Building Set collection to be able to build all those MOCs.

As i noted i am an AFoL for 20 years now. I buy sets from every theme when they are discontinued and therefore often discounted. Like a friend says: Buying sets brings the greatest diversity on parts, if you're going to build great varieties! (if you just need a lot of tan for a Mos Espa Race this won't be the right policy) Some sets i buy just for a few interesting parts for a current project - but with time pass i will have an use for the rest. Rare (not even produced for a set) part-color-combinations i often buy additionally on BL. This is also true for old parts or nice (promotional) sets from the late 70ies to the 90ies that fit to the style of my town. Some times i even buy bulkware.

In the early 90ies there were a lot of gray supplementary bricks 805-1-970156223.jpg(pic from lugnet) on the shelves (kids did not find them interesting), so i bought 56! of them to have material in a neutral color.

That Fire Station looks really good- in fact, the whole thing looks a two-page spread right out of a 1980's Idea Book, but turned way up. I'm looking forward to seeing more updates- I love your brick-built animals!!

Thanks.

Ralf

Edited by Cran

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I think you and I have a lot in common! I've been a FOL since 1979, and generally collect most System Themes. Town, Space, Castle, Pirates- I have most of these sets and like you, I hunt for bargains. I buy bulk vintage lots on ebay quite a bit, so I have hundreds of doors, windows, wall panels, you name it. Classic Town MOCing is a lot of fun. But I don't have to tell you that!

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Classic Town MOCing is a lot of fun. But I don't have to tell you that!

No you don't have to. I often wonder why so few are addicted to that style - it must have to do something with the point of time when quitting das.

Nice to see such a unique creation. Truly a work of art

Thanks.

Edited by Cran

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Welcome to Eurobricks, Cran. It is really an impressive layout, you have got. I also love the 80s/90s classic style town, so it is always nice to see layouts of this. It is interesting to look through your city of MOCs with some recognizable classic models in between. That being said, I find some of the buildings rather... heavy or confusing to look at. I think it is because some buildings have got many colours, some of those not fitting together, like this house. Yellow, red, pink and light gray. It makes the buildings look less harmonic, I think. Or heavy when too many dark colours are used.

On the other hand, I really love the different heights of the layout, it gives the city a whole new dimension(!) which is seldomly seen at other layouts. And the Serengeti animals are fabulous, I can't wait to see the zoo. And the airport. I really look forward to see more of your MOCs.

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Welcome to Eurobricks, Cran. It is really an impressive layout, you have got. I also love the 80s/90s classic style town, so it is always nice to see layouts of this. It is interesting to look through your city of MOCs with some recognizable classic models in between.

Thanks.

That being said, I find some of the buildings rather... heavy or confusing to look at. I think it is because some buildings have got many colours, some of those not fitting together, like this house. Yellow, red, pink and light gray. It makes the buildings look less harmonic, I think. Or heavy when too many dark colours are used.

Hm - how to answer? Are there buildings in your hometown, that you don't like? Which color combinations you just find shrill? There you are. The people that live in, seem to like it.

I always try to somehow merge reality into the 80ies style. So there are of course buildings with color combinations that are not harmonic or with a darker appearance. And if you watch closely to my pics you will find nearly on every building some imperfections: broken decorations, discolorations on the walls, appended side buildings, different materials on one built, patched walls etc. - just as reality. Btw Lego did some sets with blue walls, red windows/doors and black roof, that i find myself a some dark and clumsy color combination. But that will not hold me away from doing the same - the residents will like it :wink: .

On the other hand, I really love the different heights of the layout, it gives the city a whole new dimension(!) which is seldomly seen at other layouts.

Thanks and again it has to do with reality/imperfection - no town is really ever on a perfect flat ground. The perfection of many (CC) towns just bores me over time.

And the Serengeti animals are fabulous, I can't wait to see the zoo. And the airport. I really look forward to see more of your MOCs.

Thanks, i'm just working on my 2nd river barge - i guess it will be my next presented moc here.

Greets, Ralf

Edited by Cran

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Hi Ralf, welcome to Eurobricks... I love your town!

Very nicely put together... and my favorite part is that your lavish use of classic (1956-86) LEGO windows and even the doors. Most modern builders don't use the classic LEGO windows in their building MOCs... and that is a pity, because it gives such a rich assortment of possibilities for building. And all the larger (than the 1 brick wide or tall) classic windows are a real bargain on the secondary market. But we won't tell anyone, or the prices will go up!! :wink:

Also your 56 gray parts packs tells me that you like in Europe... since that gray pack was never available in the USA.

Great job!!

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Ah, you can't beat the classic 80's style... And this is an awesome set up and I could look at it for hours!!... I think the historic part is my favourite (but that fire station is very cool too!!) Excellent stuff!

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A very nice and interesting town layout. I think to see it in the real world would be so good to get to look for all those hidden details that one may not notice from a photograph!

One thing that worries me though, on your river photograph, is that boat really going to fit under the bridge? I have visions of the owner loosing his push-bike along with the roof of cabin if it does not make it!

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Hi Ralf, welcome to Eurobricks... I love your town!

Thanks Gary.

Very nicely put together... and my favorite part is that your lavish use of classic (1956-86) LEGO windows and even the doors. Most modern builders don't use the classic LEGO windows in their building MOCs... and that is a pity, because it gives such a rich assortment of possibilities for building. And all the larger (than the 1 brick wide or tall) classic windows are a real bargain on the secondary market. But we won't tell anyone, or the prices will go up!! :wink:

I really like mixing parts of different decades in one moc - it multiplies the possibilities and often gives a new/unique look:

haus_2.jpg,

foerderband_1.jpg,

kleine_walze_2.jpg.

As for the windows - there exists such a great variety of window sizes, forms and colors in the history of lego that cannot be ignored - e.g. the minitalia windows or the 6x5 frames. Snotting them, adding other parts that can be interpreted as windows, like the headlight brick or tile 1x2 w. handle or just building windows out of plates even more increases the number of looks to create. The low prices are true - as long we do not talk about blue 3x2, black/gray 2x2 or the classic 4x3 window w. shutter holders in gray or dkred ...

Also your 56 gray parts packs tells me that you live in Europe... since that gray pack was never available in the USA.

Wasn't it? That i did not know.

Great job!!

Thanks again.

A very nice and interesting town layout. I think to see it in the real world would be so good to get to look for all those hidden details that one may not notice from a photograph!

Thanks. That with the hidden details is true for every moc, i guess - i will remove some more dust and make more/better photos then, showing more details ...

One thing that worries me though, on your river photograph, is that boat really going to fit under the bridge? I have visions of the owner loosing his push-bike along with the roof of cabin if it does not make it!

Your eyes betray you, as every little moc in my layout shall be potentially playable - also an ackknowledgment to my 6-years-old daughter - the ship perfectly fits under the bridge. This counts also for the other (older) side of the bridge that is even more narrow.

The 2nd river barge i'm working on now, that actually backpacks a car, surely also fits this requirements.

Greets, Ralf

Edited by Cran

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Hm - how to answer? Are there buildings in your hometown, that you don't like? Which color combinations you just find shrill? There you are. The people that live in, seem to like it.

I always try to somehow merge reality into the 80ies style. So there are of course buildings with color combinations that are not harmonic or with a darker appearance. And if you watch closely to my pics you will find nearly on every building some imperfections: broken decorations, discolorations on the walls, appended side buildings, different materials on one built, patched walls etc. - just as reality. Btw Lego did some sets with blue walls, red windows/doors and black roof, that i find myself a some dark and clumsy color combination. But that will not hold me away from doing the same - the residents will like it :wink: .

Greets, Ralf

I guess there are plenty of buildings, I don't like :wink: You have some really good points here that imperfection adds reality - not least compared to most other LEGO layouts (as the modulars). - I noticed that almost every building has got flaws when I looked through the pictures. And it was when I noticed the colours etc.

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Absolutely brilliant! It's obvious how much thought and love goes into your MOC. I would love to take on something of that caliber. but I don't think the wife would be too fond of that. :laugh:

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Absolutely brilliant! It's obvious how much thought and love goes into your MOC.

Thanks.

I would love to take on something of that caliber. but I don't think the wife would be too fond of that. :laugh:

Develop it carefully over a long time - that will work! First parts of the town were always placed at my parents home in my kids room - so no stress with that. The snd part evolved from my students room to my students flat. When i start sharing an habitation with my gf i took the space in our living room where one could not stand (it was under the roof) - so again no prob. And when we finally moved to our own house i took the guests room :). But i must confess, there i was driven out of the living room with my secondary lego project. But i'm going to restore the attic ...

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I've just noticed that cute and cool road roller......excellent designing 'Cran' and Brick On ! :grin:

Thanks, credits for using the sixties gray tyres for the roll go to Jojo - i searched a long time for usable round parts with a three studs diameter and was just about to give it up.

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Hi again,

my good friend Maik aka Farnheim has taken a round and provided a lot more (much better) pictures of the town. Enjoy!

027.jpg

Greets, Ralf

Edited by Cran

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