WesternOutlaw

Excellent review WF! I'm glad you still have a few sets left to share. I like this little motor bike. Three-wheelers always look so much fun. I also like how you added a few other bikes for the "Great Race", although the Indy bike is my personal favorite. In any case, these Shell promotional sets were very nice. I may have this one, but not sure. I have to check the stock pile. I remember finding these at a Dollar Store several years ago. For whatever reason, I only picked up a few. Very nice set and an excellent review!

I bought it before moving and never unpacked it. Now I can't bring myself to opening it. I definately want that clock piece!

Very nice! I really like the use of the Russian soldier torso for the scrubs - very clever.

Part 4: Powerhouse, Clock Tower, and Scotty's Grave Once outside the house, I walk toward the Power House near the back of the castle. The original Pelton hydro-electric water wheel is displayed. I was expecting something much larger: A sign explains the power system. I wonder if they had 12V back in the late 20s? Perhaps only for blue track. Here's the Hydro-Electric power system: I climb through one of the towers: To see a beautiful view of the large Clock Tower. Now here's one I'll be adding to my Grimwell Manor: And a view of Scotty's Castle: I make my way around the hill toward a large cross on the top of the mountain: This one's going to take a horse. In the distance, there's a large stock pile of railroad ties and a rusty old car: I get another view of the Castle: As well as a spectacular view of the Clock Tower with Death Valley in the distance: On top of the hill is the grave of Walter Scott (aka Scotty): And Scotty's "Four Things to Live By": 1. Don't say nothing that will hurt anybody 2. Don't give advice - nobody will take it anyway 3. Don't complain 4. Don't explain - immortal words to live by

Part 3: Continuing Inside the House A large table and china cabinet provides needed plates and cups for guests: Inside the kitchen, a working sink provides water for washing the dishes: Check out this oven: I like the hand-carved lighting fixture in the kitchen: A view from the 2nd floor of the house. I get this funny feeling that someone is following me... Inside one of the guest bedrooms, an old type writer stands ready: This is one of the nicer guest bedrooms: This chest is actually the oldest antique in the house: Outside one of the guest bedrooms is a wonderful balcony area with a small fountain: The "Italian Room" has a large desk and all the comforts needed in the 1930s. Wow! Did you see that? Seems my eyes are playing tricks on me. Not much has changed in the area of the bathroom: The final room that we'll be touring inside Scotty's Castle is the Upper Music Room, a large gathering area for Albert, his wife Bessie, Scotty, and guests: A large organ with an entire wall of pipes plays music that can be heard throughout the house: The wood in the ceiling is entirely hand carved: I love the beautiful fireplace in this room, not quite what one would expect in Death Valley: We climb down the spiral stair case that exits the house. The music of the organ still plays in my ears: Last part, Scotty's Grave and the Clock Tower...

Part 2: Inside the Castle We begin our tour of Scotty's Castle as a young lady dressed in 20s attire greets us after ringing the 3:30 Tour Bell. DING! DING! DING! Within the main courtyard, the story of Scotty's CASTLE is revealed. It turns out that Scotty's Castle isn't really a castle at all but actually called "Death Valley Ranch". While many believe the ranch belonged to local miner and prospector Walter Scott, it was actually built by wealthy mid-western businessman Albert Johnson. The two men formed an unlikely friendship and Scotty went around telling everyone that he owned the castle that had been financed through the rewards of his gold mine. Scotty loved to tell tall-tales. Under the shade of the patio, I spied Albert Johnson's 1933 Packard before entering the main house: Within the dim light of the main room, I adjusted my lantern to behold the wood working, tapestries, and wonderful light fixture hanging from the tall ceiling: Looking up, I couldn't help to think, "how can I create this in Lego"? Stairs led to the 2nd floor with another set of stairs leading to a 3rd floor, or perhaps one of the mysterious towers... Venturing into a nearby bedroom, I found myself back in the 1930s, where Scotty stayed. Or was it? Actually, Scotty had his own residence away from the castle, but Albert had this room made for Scotty so that he could show it to guests and stay the night if he wanted: A small bed with a Shoshone Indian bed cover provided Scotty a nice place to sleep. Scotty said that he built the castle on top of his hidden gold mine, the entrance being under his bed. He would pay servants to clank on the pipes and walls of the house to make his story more believable. On the wall of Scotty's room is a picture of Buffalo Bill Scotty? I feel as if he's watching me... Leaving Scotty's room, I enter a small music room, noticing the simple furnishings and Spanish fountain: The chairs and curtains are definately very old: There are a number of beautiful fire places within the house, all having different Spanish tile: Next, we'll be visiting the dining room and kitchen...

Part 1: The Castle, Grounds, and History Let's shed some light on the old castle, shall we? While some might question the authenticity of Scotty's Castle, it was a structure whose construction began in 1927 in the style of a Spanish Villa. The architecture style was shared by large mansions being constructed during the same time in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. This castle; however, was unique in that it was constructed in northern Death Valley. Although parts of Death Valley are at sea level where summer temperatures exceed 120 degrees, the castle was built in Grapevine Canyon at a 3,000 foot altitude, avoiding the extreme summer heat as well as cold winters. Now let's have a closer look at the castle and its grounds, starting at the front. Here's a close-up of one of the towers. Notice the Spanish-style architecture: In the center of two main sections of the house is a large gate to the courtyard: Riding toward the side of the castle, we can see one of the bedrooms with balcony: I love the numerous arches and patios: Here's the side tower: And side entrance. I get that funny feeling as if someone is watching me... Perhaps it's the Ghost of Ol' Scotty. A never completed pool awaits water from the nearby spring: I can see myself looking out toward the desert from one of the many balconies: Around back, there is another entry to the courtyard. Should I sneak in? Perhaps I'll wait for the tour guide...

Scotty's Castle Mystery Tour Alone in the arid heat of Death Valley stands a castle, a desolate castle in the middle of nowhere. The castle is known as Scotty's Castle, a 32,000 square foot compound built in 1927. Join the Phantom Rider as he takes a tour within the walls of the mysterious castle. He may even find old Scotty himself, or perhaps Albert Johnson, the actual builder of the castle within the chambers that lie within... Coming Soon...

You guys should check out Classic-Town.net from time-to-time. This wonderful creation was blogged earlier on Classic Town. It is an outstanding creation.

Thanks SD. I checked out the game. It looks pretty slick, esp. with the use of a deck of cards rather than traditional dice. I may have to pick up a copy of this game just for the content. I may send you a separate PM if you don't. In any case, I like your Bone Fiend - an excellent desert creature for the Wild West.

Nice review. I've always wanted to get a closer look at this set. My last HP set was the castle with the clock tower that I never got around to opening. This is a pretty nice set. Your close-up pictures are very nice as well.

I'm not a big fan of the minis, but these are really good. I esp. like the red semi truck with the orange stripes - very detailed. It takes a very good builder to create something of high quality in such a small creation. Great job!

Interesting way of describing it. I didn't give the architecture much thought, aside from trying to blend in elements from the real thing in Lego. I suppose it does blend in a few different styles. I'm not quite done and haven't worked on the interior at all. I'll share some pictures when/if I complete. Now that I've re-edited the old creations, I feel an interest to add to the series once again. Thanks for the nice feedback. It's been many years since I visited the Castle. During my last visit to Death Valley, we were not able to make it. I understand that there is a tour of the undergound tunnels. I'd like to do this. Thanks Batbrick. I'm glad you enjoy the series. I had considered changing the torches with something different and interesting. I may just do so and see what it looks like. The large 2nd floor windows are actually from the Shrieking Shack - some of my favorite pieces to work with for Grave Stone. I used them for the Shady Inn as well as the Abandoned Station. They are window stickers like those from the WW sets. I liked that too, and may try modifying the back to show this - perhaps with even a tunnel. The Ghost came from 10176 King's Castle, released in 2006 (supposedly based on the old 6090 Royal King's Castle). He's a great minifig and even glows in the dark. Not yet. Still need to work on the interior as well as a few modifications to the front. Now that's just scary! From Fort Legoredo. I actually wanted some large tan arches, but the pieces are in Jabba's Palace burried in my garage. I had originally used a red roof later replacing the pieces with black which gives a much darker look. Yes, part of the mystery of the old manor. It seems to restore itself without human hand. I almost wrote this into the story, but decided not to mention it. I've intentionally left out figs except for the ghost - part of the desolate nature of the manor. Having a few scared cowboys might add interest though - great idea KD! Thank you all for the feedback. I'll add some more pictures with some interior shots as well - still a bit of a WIP.

Thanks Zorro. As opposes to a few WW figs, I thought the Ghost of Ol' Tex would be fitting. I had considered a few Indians with skeletons as guards, perhaps as a supplement. I really appreciate you saying that, as it's sometimes difficult to create "something better" each time. Thanks you. I'm not sure if this is better than some of my other creations, but it is something different which I always try to offer in my Grave Stone collection. I enjoy building creations that have not been tried before and/or are unusual for the Wild West theme. I thought so as well, and am fascinated with the historical aspects of the real structure. Believe it or not, I thought it had too many colors, although I can understand the point you and others make. I like the idea of having a few sections of grey (or even red) to represent areas where the stucco have worn/peeled off. That's definately a common denominator I thrive for with my Grave Stone creations. Have you been to Scotty's Castle Steve? Thanks Asuka. You always have something positive to say. I enjoy reading your comments. I like the story of this creation as well. Thank you all for taking the time to comment.

Thanks MTL. I'm glad you like it.

I'm not sure if it's the colors or not, but this MOC seems to really catch my eye. I like the minifig and the combination of green and yellow. The use of the Duplo piece actually works quite well. This deserves a BLOG!

This is absolutely fantastic! The details are outstanding. I love the organ with the pipes. The way you constructed the outer hull of the lower deck looks great with the slope/slanted design. The entire scene is very well done. Excellent!

Thanks Gen. Armendariz. Sytemized - I guess you could just call me a classic builder. I initially had some dark orange; but with tan, black, brown, and white, I thought it was a bit too many colors. Thanks for the feedback. It's actually still a WIP. I'm going to work on the interior and maybe add a bit more to the exterior. Initially, I had thought about building something along the line of Fort Legoredo in four sections. I can still add to this forming a circle/donut in the same manner. INSPIRATION I almost forgot to mention the inspiration behind this creation. For the past month as I was re-editing all the Grave Stone creations, I had been thinking about something a bit different to build. Last Year, I had visited Death Valley in southeastern California. In Death Valley is a structure actually called Scotty's Castle. I visited many years ago, and have been wanting to build it for some time. Unfortunately, even after two large Pick-A-Brick orders, I wasn't able to create a large tan castle as I had envisioned. The result is this smaller design taking some inspiration from the real thing. The story behind the real Scotty's Castle is pretty amazing, and I'd encourage any Wild West history fan to read a little more about it. Here's a Wikepedia LINK. In addition, I've always been fascinated by the old Eagles song, Hotel California (since the late 70s). I love the Spanish mission-style architecture which I can vision as I hear the song and think of the hotel. Getting a bit more macabre, the inn from the movie Dusk 'Til Dawn Hangman's Daughter helps provide some of the haunting inspiration of Grimwell Manor. Lastly, there is a house called the Winchester Mystery House that would help provide some of the back-story. Winchester's widow, Sarah Winchester believed that by continuing to build the house, she would not die and/or cause the Winchester curse to fall upon her. Doors and stairs within the actual mystery house lead to nowhere. In any case, these are a few of the many inspiration behind the Grimwell Manor.

The Legend of Grimwell Manor Miles away from the desolate town of Grave Stone, somewhere north of the Shadow Mountains, there is a castle that stands alone in the desert. The castle is known as Grimwell Manor, belonging to a wealthy miner who most know as Tex. Many discount the story of how Tex used his wealth to build a grand castle in nowhere, while others have searched for the mysterious structure, rumored to even have electricity generated from a spring and water wheel within the maze-like tunnels below. Grimwell Manor was built sometime during the gold rush in the fashion of a Spanish villa. Indians from the nearby valley constructed the opulent manor; brick by brick, as Tex decorated the interior with furnishings from England and Spain, sparing no expense. As Tex's sanity was diminishing day by day, he continued to add rooms and passages to his castle, resulting in doors and hallways that led to nowhere. There is even an old tale of how Tex bricked up a few of his double-crossing friends within a secret room, and that their echoing yells can still be heard haunting the manor. Years have past, and not many people still left in Grave Stone remember ol' Tex. Some say he retired to the chambers within Grimwell Manor where he died a lonely death, while others believe he continues to haunt Grave Stone. While no one has seen or heard from him in years, torches can sometimes be seen burning within the valley north of the Shadow Mountains, along with the glow of an eerie green apparition atop the large stuccoed tower of Grimwell Manor. :skull: The MOC Version 3 Version 2 Version 1

The moderators are getting a few complaints from different members re. this thread. I don't know much about the topic at hand, but everyone is entitled to their opinion(s). I think we can all express these differing opinions without offending others who like or dislike the TV series.

Wild West + Horror :skull: = This is really an interesting little creation, and a creature that I've never heard of. I particularly enjoyed reading the story from Koda's account. Do you have the 2nd page of the story (Pgae 29)? In regard to your MOC, while the 4-armed creature does look slightly like Grevious (for obvious reasons), what a fantastic creation. It reminds me of another Western legend, that of the gargoyle from an old 1972 B-horror flick called Gargoyles. Gargoyle bones are found in Arizona that look somewhat similar to the Bone Fiend. I particularly like the wing/clavical bones sticking up. They give the Bone Fiend a real menacing look. Your gunfighters are equally nice. I love that axe rifle - very clever. Overall, this is a great little scene - something right out of Grave Stone. :skull: I like!

How about a ticket aboard the Ghost Train?

Thanks for the feedback guys. Re. the stickers/decals: The Professor's white torso is actually that of Senor Polomar from one of the Adventurers/Jungle collection, not a sticker or decal. The Wagon has a 3x4 piece with the printed potions (from Harry Potter Set # 4729: Dumbledore's Office). For the actual creation, the backside of this piece (used for the EXTERIOR) has a custom sticker that says "Snake Oil Wagon". However; at the time, I ran out of photo paper printing the decal on regular paper. The result didn't look too good, so for this photo re-edit, I added the "Snake Oil Wagon" digitally.

These are all very nice RC. I really like the van and the U-Haul.

Klaus-Dieter happened to ask if I would be revisiting the Ghost Train collection in one of the "Return to Grave Stone" posts. Fortunately, I did a pretty good job with photo editing all the Ghost Train creations with my newer version of Adobe Photoshop (Elements program). I was actually pleased with the final images shared on EB last year, so I wasn't planning to share updated pictures. I did; however, stumble across one image that I took of the Abandoned Station with Rickety Water Tower. I thought it would make a nice scene, so decided to go ahead and edit the image taking out a rather bad flash spot. Inpiration During the Summer of 2008 (May to be exact), I got this burning desire to create a Ghost Train. Inspiration came from a visit to a Ghost Town during Halloween 2007, in which I saw a large rusting steam train with hollow burner, decorated for the season with ghostly skeletons. The first MOC; however, would be an Old West station that I had always wanted to build as an addition to Grave Stone. Looking at numerous pictures of real Wild West buildings, I happen to stumble upon an image that reminded me of a creation in Lego Idea Book #6000. Here's the house in the idea book. The building design looked like a great one to use as an inpiration for the station. About one month later and the addition of a few train cars, the small train display needed a water tower. Pictured is the combination of the station, the water tower, and a few of the figs from the train display. The Stories Abandoned Station: The clock is nearing midnight... An Abandoned Station stands along the rusty tracks of Grave Stone. Jebediah's last words were "I'll be dead before this train comes". Who would have guessed he was right? There's one ticket out of Grave Stone that can be found within the decrepit walls of the Abandoned Station; but this ticket is for a special ride, a ride on the haunted Ghost Train. In order to redeem the ticket, one must wait between 11:00 PM and midnight at the station. The only problem is that there are other less-sightly creatures that are also trying to escape Grave Stone, and they will kill for a ticket aboard the Ghost Train. And what ghastly train stops at an Abandoned Station within Grave Stone? Do you dare wait until midnight to find out... Rickety Water Tower: If you're trying to get away from someone or something near the desolate town of Grave Stone, you might think twice before setting a foot on the ladder of the Rickety Water Tower. Climbing high into the midnight sky, an old hoot owl stands perched on the rotting wood railing, watching all that is seen and unseen. A strange green liquid drips from the water tower's black spicket. Could it be the putrid water of Grave Stone? Perhaps... but maybe the water tower hides something more sinister within its large storage container, something that smells of death. The MOC