CastleRail

I found with the fishing boat that parts in bags didn't quite match up to the instructions - the end of one bag containing the first step of the next bag in the instructions for instance. I was convinced I was missing multiple chains too since the first pair were in the numbered bag but the ones a few steps later were not - they later turned out to be in the un-nunbered bag of large parts. The bags for the sides of the hull were a little oddly ordered too, the first containing one hull side and a pile of parts for bow and stern but the instructions wanted the other hull side first which was in the next bag. These issues all seem to be down to how Lego decided which parts go in each bag, either that or there were some last minute changes to the instruction order after production had started. That aside though the instructions were clear and well put together and building it was good fun. It's a lovely model too.

I've purchased a few job lots that have contained other brands and there has been quite a variety of quality in them, the best have needed reading the name on the studs to distinguish Lego from the rest. The worst you can spot a mile off with everything from colour issues to poor shaping. Other brands do a significantly better white, that's about the only plus (discounting price) I've seen. For me it's Lego all the way but each to their own with whatever suits their way best.

You're using this part internally so surely any colour and variation could reasonably be substituted?

TENTE? Good grief that brings back memories. We still have a couple of 5l ice-cream tubs full of the stuff from my younger days. Of course there was a lot of the more delicate parts that snapped pins or lost rotor blades. No instructions though so goodness only knows what the original sets were.

I had a spate of bigger sets with parts errors - a missing 1x4 plate in the Police Station, a 1x1 DBlue brick instead of a 1x1 TransClear in 60197, missing 1x2 plate in the Harley... It was getting to the point where I was dreading building new sets wondering what the mistake was going to be that time. The sheep I had a bag arrive a few months ago, loose packed in a jiffy style bag and a couple had marks from legs on the body. I found a thin damp cloth over my fingernail and scratch firmly cleared it eventually.

I particularly like the mixing of old and new grey in some of those