Farnheim

Thanks a lot. I really appreciate it. Well, yes. There is a kind of progression on the vehicles. I wrote an arcticle about it a while ago. Unfortunately in german laguage only. Here's what shows the improvement ober the years most. The eldest MOC. With the typical Classic Town look. Built back in 2009. The facelifted version came up in 2013. It got a much more aerodynamic look, new rims, lightbar and the typical yellow "contour markings". The latest version with improved contour markings, new wheels and a more SUV-ish color scheme. The very first turntable from 2009... ... and its actual version.

Ladies and Gentlemen, several months have passed since my last posting here. Surely quite a long time. But I was pretty busy in real life. Fortunately I’ve found some time to finish several MOCs for my municipal fire department during the past months. Now I found the time to show you what has left the factory on my desk... Let’s start with a new MPV. It’s based on the short SUV-version as you can in the second pic and it’s mostly used for the daily routine. Generic build with nothing special. Based on longer 4 x 10 studs classical car chassis. One of the newer creations is a new truck for the rescue-divers unit. The truck itself features an airconditioned cabin for the divers to change their clothes, loaded fully with rescue and technical equipment – especially for the rescue on (iced up) waterways. The trailer features a speedboat with a rugged aluminum hull. I also redid my fire truck for heavy technical assistance on railways. I got the proportions much more right by shorten the lenghts about one stud. I redid the bogie underneath and changed the regular train wheels to these little 1/2 smooth technic bush for a more realistic look. Unfortunately it won’t fit on the lego tracks anymore. Well... but I am okay with it. Surely one of the most specialized apparatus is this telehandler. I had it on schedule for almost years. But didn’t manage how get all the significant details and of course the integrated playability into 4wide. Finally I decided to build the cabin segment in 5wide. Thankfully I a spent evening chatting with some friends on 1000steine I got the right influences concerning the telescope arm. I also created abunch of different tools for the handler: a forklift, a lifting platform, a shovel, a hook, a claw and such. The lastest creation is special foam unit. I’ve found an old photo on the internet of a fire truck to be on duty at an Esso oil refinery near Cologne, Germany during the first half of the 1980s. That caught my attention. I decided to build my own version of it. Added specials are definitely the two independent moveable turrets, snotted tank-segment with its hose ports. I also could finish two new trucks for Farnheim Airport Fire Services. The smaller one is a typically RIV (Rapid Intervention Vehicle) and other one is a massive Crash Tender, which was originally in service at the Stuttgart International Airport from the late 1980s till 2003. Both models feature the use of the actual 4 wide mudguards. In addition the bigger Crash Tender has a tilting cabin with a motor replica and a special, unusual tire-on-tire combination to get the typical monstrous appearance as the original. BTW: This year the Farnheim Fire Department is going to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Started as an classical 1/87th scale modelling. The years passed and the hobby rested for almost two decades. Since 2009, when getting in touch with Lego again, I restarted the Farnheim-themed modelling by using bricks instead of glue and paint. I invite you to visit my (german language only blog) to see more pictures of all these MOCs and the whole story of 30 years of Feuerwehr Farnheim Hope, you enjoyed the latest overview a bit. Thank you taking a look. I appraciate your critics and comments. Thanks in advance + Feurio! Farnheim

Hello community, after the refurbishments of the swap body trucks I could finish another project. It was one of these projects, you start very ambitious and stop immediately due to the lack of parts and/or solutions for building problems and such. The helicopter should have a modern and compact appearance, a color scheme that fits to my other rescue vehicle and some functional details. Now after being more a construction site than a MOC on my desk for months I gave it a second chance. And here it is... Hope y'all like it. C & C welcome as usual. Thanks for watching!

Hi all, i want to introduce you a few new MOCs I did the last couple of weeks. First I gave the swap body trucks a make over. The old containers were (more classical) eight studs long, but some newer ones took the length of ten studs for more space. So the primers movers do for a better proportioned silhouette imho. Let's start with the pictures. The Farnheim fire department put two new heavy rigs for their emergency management (e.g. storms, dam failures, floodings etc.) into service. One of the twins is equipped with a crane. The other one has an explosion-proofed cab and it's able to pick up hazardous liquids and goods. This truck loaded up with a tank container by default. Another new truck is a little smaller, but it can be expand with a trailer. So the fire fighters are able to carry two required containers at once to the scene. And finally some pics of some rebuilt containers. Container tank for serious fires Container with two tanks full of foam Container with its whole equipment against hazardous scenarios on waterways. The red strips shell be oil barriers Hope you like them. Critics & comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks for watching.

Happy new year everyone! Before Christmas I could finish my lastest project for my fictional Fire Department of the City of Farnheim. This huge new mobile command unit (MCU) replaces an old bus. These kind of trucks are common in cities with more than 400,000 residents here in Germany. Based on an regular truck chassis it has a typical boxed body that can be expanded at the passenger side to increase the room's space. Equipped with high end communication and radio features to handle huge incidents. I've build a five studs wide box to get the right scale for the expansion. The rest is classically 4wide. I attached most of the details to the roof, like an air condition, a few antennas, a satellite dish and a red flash light (that locates the command unit for others at scenes). Freshly arrived at the main fire station it got its first "very close inspection" by some of the firemen. Btw, I got the ideas mostly from here and here (German text version only). Hope you like it. Thanks for watching! Bright red regards, Maik aka Farnheim

I also build fire apparatus but in 4 wide. The most of your ideas would be cool and a useful addition to the bunch of existing parts. And they would even fit to the smaller classic scale I prefer. During the "The Fanwelt" exhibition in Cologne back in 2014 I had a chance to talk over this "problem" with a Legodesigner (btw, he created the #60085 powerboat set) and we discussed, why TLC won’t develop any other fire truck set than ladders or commando units. As an example of what else is possible I showed him my version of a 2-way-truck for heavy technical assistance on roads or tracks. He said, he would know, that a fire fighter’s job is much more about than fighting fires, but ladders are in fact pretty iconic and every child around the world know them. But the main issue is, that those sets should match with the particular conditions of most of countries where Lego products are sold. Simply told: in most countries fire trucks are red, have blue flashing lights and mainly fighting fires. The special operation divisions sometimes are so specific, that a child wound’t really know anything about it. I think, it is more realistic, that TLC could expand the uniform or perhaps the compartment parts, but there's no way for some special operations cars and trucks. That’s a pity, but imho that’s just how it is. The only thing that we can do is to build the favored equipment with the level of detail we want to have. So, I did a new stretcher a while back and build most of the equipment myself (e.g. jaws of life) Btw, we’re getting a yellow fire helmet in a this year’s Mixels set. Wohoo! Stay safe, Maik aka Farnheim

It has been five years ago since I had finished this hazmat truck. So I think, time for a make over. During the rebuild, the model got a longer wheelbase for more loading space, but tried to save the overall look. I had put on some new features like a more realistic hydraulic platform and a lamp post. This truck now features a lot of equipment for huge technical assistances and of course incidents with hazardous materials. It can also be alarmed by the municipal fire department in case of incidents thoughout the city area. In Europe, this treaty with municipal aid agencies is called TUIS. Which can be translated with Transport-, Incident- and assistance-System. Btw, the little red thing at the front end is a typical covered winch. Enough (in roughly English) said, let the photos speak... This is it. Hope you like this, too. Thanks for watching.

Hello Community! It's been quite awhile since my last MOC. But I wasn't passive. In the meantime I've upgrated some of my models, especially the ones of my petroleum plant fire brigade "Jade Öl AG". So, let's start with a new special tanker equipped with a high reachable Turret, mobile water cannon and a heavy duty pump. It carries 7,000 liters of water and 3,000 liters of foam to the scene. You'll find a few more pics in the gallery on my blog. So, hope you like it. Comments and critics are welcome as usual. More MOCs to come. Regards!

I love the little things, like the counter fridge and the scale. Way to go!

I get mostly influenced (beside the whole city-stuff) by Creator, Friends and Movie sets. Last weekend I noticed the Ultra Agents sets. Well, they're coming with useful and interesting minifig parts. I guess, I'll give them a try.

Nice looking store. Like the interieur very much.

Very cool rides of some iconic sports cars with a high recognition level. Like the two Renaults and the KTM most. Very well done!

Thank you all for the kind comments. I really appreciate it. @ Bornin1930something: I did the tilting with some clips, brackets and modified plates to get the engine mockup with these 4 round 1x1 tiles done. Here are two photos that shall illustrate the parts use: Hope that helps.

Hi everyone, this is my usual quarterly post here. ;-) Just kidding. Note to myself: Post more often on EB! Now to something completely different. I did a few new Mocs during the cold and dark december days. Let's start with something for my petrochemical refinery in my town: a dry powder fire truck with 6,000 kg of solid extinguishing agent in two huge tanks. The next one is also part of the petrochemical fire services. It's a huge tanker truck that brings 23,000 liters of foam to the scene. BTW, actual I'm not really happy with parts use of the ladder at the rear end. I have a few ideas, but the required parts are actual out of stock... As a feature it has a tiltable cabin. For those who wonder: the big pipe behind the cabin is part of a portable water/foam cannon. The third one replaces an old van used for technical assistances. This one features, beside an 4WD, a lot more space for equipment in the compartments. The volunteers of the municipal fire department features a special task force to light up scenes at night. Equipped with different floodlights, a power generator and portable lamp posts. The volunteers can be deployed all over the city and its surroundings. Another small truck of the logistics group And finally a small "Unimog"-look-alike truck that is now part of the FD's historical heritage. Built in the late 1960s (note the old paint scheme) to support the firemen in need of technical assistance, e.g. car accidents, incidents on and beside the water. The last point is the reason why it is equipped with wide sand tires. That makes the truck able to drive on loose terrain, like on sand, dunes or mud flat. Hope you like them a bit. Critics & comments are very welcome. Brit red regards!

Hallo everybody, a new little red one has left the assambly plant. Nothing spectacular but the use of the cupboards. Nearly a long time ago I got the idea to use these cupboards in a slightly different way, but I didn't find a way to get the chassis and the body together in a well-proportioned way. Last sunday I reactivated this little project again, and after many attemps I finally found a way to get happy with. Hopefully so do you... Here is a little background: This typical truck of the german disaster control is based on the regular chassis I used for my operations commander or for some other gear trucks. Its operation areas are incidents with a huge amount of casualties. With its equipment paramedics have the ability to run a shelter to medicate 25 injured people at the scene before they get hospitalized. So the typical fields of operations of a municipal fire department have changed long ago from only "simple" fire fighting to high-tech special skills like disaster and hazard control, heavy technical accident assistance on streets and rails, rescue from great heights and depths, modern fire fighting operations in difficult structures, e.g. tunnels or on ships. Thanks for watching and disaster-free greetings, Farnheim

Thank you all for the kind comments. I really appreciate ist. @ droomangroup: That would be a really nice idea.

Hello everyone, time for some retro again . I wanted to show you one of my latest creations. But it’s been a while since I completed it. Anyway. It’s a very special fire apparatus – a tanker truck. This one is in service for a refinery company fire brigade in the city of Farnheim. The trailer is filled with 23,500 liters of foam and serves as a logistic feeder or as a distributor into the water network at emergency scenes. This tractor-trailer is not able to start fire fighting operation on its own, because it hasn't any pump or a water cannon installed. You always need a pumper, too. I used the same building technique for the tank that I used for another small foam truck (shown below). It gives a sleek and clean design to the hull. It also allowes to put on a two-tone paint scheme with some intergrated details like lighting at the rooftop, flashlights a the rear end and side markers. As for a little personal touch I clipped on a german flag (a reminiscence of the Soccer World Cup back in July). And its little brother: Hope you like it. Thanks for watching. Critics & comments are welcome as always. Regards!

Hello Lego enthusiats, it's been quite a while since I have posted my last MOC here, but I wasn't inactive during last couple of weeks. in the meantime I've have completed the assembly of a few new red ones and civilian models. The start marks a special unit which can be found on several airports aound the globe: a mobile rescue gangway. It's a whole rebuild of the old version I've done back in late 2009. For this new one I wanted put a lot more details in it. Especially a much more sophisticated and fully operational gangway. But therefore I had build to bit wider. The truck also features another lower mounted folding rescue platform at the front end. Further technical highlights are a 2.000 L water and 200 L foam tank with an integrated pump for first or/and fast interventions. Enjoy the photos: Hope you like it. C&C welcome as usual. Regards, Farnheim

Thank you all a bunch! No, I don't print any images myself. These door logos (and all others e.g. the red cross) are all regular printed parts.

Thank you very much. Well, we've counted them during the exhibition "Bricking Bavaria" last November. Here's a little sneak preview of what I've done in red so far...

Hello all! The next one (of my 120+ firetrucks, containers and trailers ) I want to show you is a water rescue truck in combination with a boat on a trailer. This unit carries rescue divers and a lot specific equipment to the scene. The truck is highly recommend for rough and/or weak terrain. The boat (which features a solid aluminum hull) carries a powerful outboard motor and a lot of equipment for the first responders. It's quite basic-built, but features the typical bicolor paint scheme and the drive train as a little more detail under the car. Like every MOC of mine this truck also features some epuipment like the divers' suit, a respirator and a special platform to rescue people from thin ice. Finally a picture of the complete a water rescue squad that will be released when an incoming emergency call is indexed by the dispatchers with the word "water". It features from the right: incident command van, pumper (also equipped with stuff for the technical assistance, water rescue truck (divers truck), boat truck and a crane and a rescue van. Hope you like it. C&C are welcome as usual. Thanks in advance. Regards, Farnheim

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. I really appreciate it!

Hello citizens, another 4wide MOC I've created a while back is this hydraulic platform. Many fire brigades here in Germany uses this kind of equipment instead of the regular turntable ladders and it is getting more and more common. Its flexibility especially in difficult terrain is a good reason to buy… So did the Farnheim Fire Department. This MOC features realistic arm movement, a bigger platform with a control panel, working lights and the possibility to mount a stretcher to the platform for the safe rescue of injured people from great heights. You can also expand a simple hydraulic stabilizer for a safe hold. A few details, like a small Generator, two compartments for equipment, a typical paint scheme with yellow markers and a lowered heavy-duty-cab. Enjoy! Hope you like it, even if you're more in 6w or/and 8w…. Regards, Farnheim

Hello once again. The fleet of the Farnheim airport fire services are also in need of a modernization. That's why I disassembled my old (less detailed and pretty simple looking) crash tenders to build two new ones by the end of 2013. These twins feature a reburfished high reach extendable Turret (HRET) and a front mounted combined water-foam cannon. Both MOCs also got a modified bi-color scheme to improve its visibly. The black colored cabin is inspired by Ziegler's Z6 and Z8 to get my trucks look more up to date. Hope you like it (a bit) Bye for now...

Hello everyone and a happy new year, it's me again after a long period of time. But that doesn't mean, I was lazy during the past months : I've created a bunch of new 4wides. The first and latest MOC I've done is a brand new crane truck for the heavy equipped technical assistance unit of the municipal fire brigade. The background is, that many MOCs are four years and older. They now look quite outdated beside the new ones. Step by step I am going to renew my complete fleet of fire trucks, and a new crane truck was standing on my (re-)building agenda for quite a long time. So, during the christmas holidays I've picked up this project... The new crane truck features a realistic brace support, a snotted crane arm, a lowered cabin, a new load hook (reference to robiwan_kenobi) and a few details like the water cannon at the top (the truck can also be provided at large and huge fires for assistance). You can open the hood to see the diesel engine working. The lift arm is fully operational. The red and yellow color scheme fits to the remaining fleet. Christmas time is finally over. Time to take the decorations off... Hope you like it. Comments are welcome as always. Thanks in advance!