Evans

Thank you for your answer! Do these motors also have a production date engraved? Train motors (9v and 12V) have two numbers for the week and a last number for the year of production, but I've noticed micro-motors and mini-motors have a letter and a number engraved under them, (B4, Z4, Z4, U4, S3 on my five micro-motors for example), so how should we read the letter, considering the number seems to be the year? And do you have an idea when they changed the magnets supplier?

Is there a non-destructive way to open these motors? And do you think there is a way to repair broken micro-motors nowadays? I was also wondering, no Dark Gray micro-motors were made?

It seems to sell well, I was surprised to see such an early set number on shelves at the store last week, and the production number on the box indicated these were still produced in 2020. It's more popular than expected...

From what I've seen on the rare sets I get at the time of their release (mostly GwP), it's that these are produced (packed) something like three monthes in advance. For example, the Dots 30556 polybag I got in March was prooduced on fourth week of 2020 (late January), and Mini gingerbread house was packed on 36th week of 2019, so in September, when I got it in December. I can't tell for bigger sets and normal retail sets because I buy a few and always on sale, so never at the time of their release. Just look at the production code stamped on the box, or on its seals.04S0 means packaged on 4th week of 2020, or 636S9 means packaged on 6th day of 36th week of 2019. This system is there since the 80's, you can look at the seals of bigger sets like 6385 or some 12V trains and see these numbers. This means that there may have been anouncements in dealer catalogs half a year ahead of release date, and sets are not yet produced, so leaks and mockups can exists (like for toy fairs, eg: Ninjago snake train, or 7249 crane that was shown as 8 studs wide rather than 12), but no regular set is already produced. They may (or not) have at least produced some instructions booklets and packagings but these have to be trashed. That's why there were P.D.F. instructions on lego customer service website for the unrealeased Lego game Phileas & Pherb in 2012, even if it have never been released. It was en error, good for us to know more about what we missed. Ten years ago, we had leaks for summer (June) wave in January, now Lego is more strict on what they show, we will see less unrealeased sets that before.

@leafan This is a sticker from the sheets given with the Lego Club UK in the late 80's. There was a lot of different patterns for Space, Town and Castle. You can find them on BL, with the number tlcuk... something IIRC.

In fact, it's not even a modification, because 12V wheels holders and wheels can be disassembled. I've found one sort that can very easily be disassembled, and another one which I haven't been able to disassemble yet. I've not found a way to differenciate them externally neither. It's useful to dismantle them in order to clean the «nail» or axle, to remove dust, hairs and friction dust that makes those wheels even more inefficient.

Hello Davide! These first tests are promising! It will allow so much more possibilities in recreations of accurate models in pure 80's style. Non-German steamers, Swiss locomotives, I already see quite a lot of uses! I hope to see more soon!

Nice modification! Did you use the hairdryer technique in order to separate the red mast and the white base? Or did you cut them? I also have some not working properly, I was wondering if it could be remote-controlled with a string system and a lever, maybe even tied with a (non-Lego) circuit-breaker in order to use them with 12V trains, instead of light signals, to give more diversity on the network. Semaphores were still something in the 80's! I still have to dig this idea.

I understand your choice concerning the windows shape, considering it's a wooden car. 12V being a toy train is the best vision we can have. Most important it to evocate a model, and give some impression with some important details or with a particular paint scheme, rather than overdetailling in order to be accurate. These inaccuracies are what makes 12V system coherent and fantastic.

Here are excellent creations! Use of Green, Dk.Gray and Old Brown gives an authentic look to these trains. It's so rare to see stainless stell cars creations fitting for 12V layouts. I love the way you've put the shield on the Kaiser car. It's just missing some white train windows. Good technique to make such offset doors on these cars.

Very good creation again for a mythical train! The panorama car is really a highlight of the train. A gray era version would indeed be a nice idea!

There is still possibility to put 70's piston rods (like in set n°133), these are yellow, but it's better than nothing. I still need to find a pair for my 7710.

Here it is! This «torque tuned motor» may be of interest for a shunting locomotive which woud pull long and heavy passenger cars. There is no battery problem as long as the 4,5V (or 3V) are delivered by track, the only thing is to avoid accidentally killing the motor with 12V. Really interesting trial!

Black base with black motor, even if it looks dark, it looks less German, as all the other steam 12V locomotives are. But if you really don't want the two same colors, I think that black base with red motor doesn't look bad either. I powered mine with a MOCed 4,5V tender (with set n°107), so it's also possible this way if you want something other (and cheaper) than a 12V motor. Edit: 50th message in 8 years, that's definitely the speed of a 4,5V train!

Excellent creation! Instantly recognisable! It shows the potential there is to make interesting creations with pre-1980 parts. It would have sold like hot cakes back then considering the success it had with toy trains in France. This one is on my to-do list for a Gray Era treatment, maybe in Corail livery.