Paperballpark

No photo, but I have two 1metre shelves up next to each other in the back bedroom. They can fit 9 modulars on, so with me never likely to own CC or MS, that means it'll be 2017 before I need more space. Even then I have enough room to add another shelf next to it, so in theory it could be 2021 before I really have to think what I'm going to do...

I did this last year - it cost me a total of about £310 (about $500) including postage (with £255 - or $405 - being just for the parts). I used 20 suppliers - LEGO's Bricks and Pieces service on their customer service website (total of £110, and a wider range than PAB) and the rest from Bricklink, including 4 sellers in America. I had 43 pieces already in my collection which I didn't have to order. I'm pretty sure all the pieces were brand new and exactly as in the original, with the exception of the 1x8 Sand Green bricks, which were just way too expensive (about £2.50 ($4) each from America, and you need 50!). So instead I used 50 of the 1x4 Sand Green brick, 25 of the 1x2 Sand Green Brick and 25 of the 1x6 Sand Green brick, which worked out well. Unless some of the parts have gone up a lot in price in the last year, I would imagine you'd be able to do it for under $600 - as long as you don't buy the 1x8 Sand Green bricks!

I can't understand how some people seem to have a bit of brain-fade when it comes to giving their scores out - I've seen two scores now which added up to 6 rather than 5.

Yes. EDIT: To clarify, I meant that it is a general problem (not a PF problem). Most people I've spoken to about the EN have some kind of problem getting it to run smoothly through corners.

20. gazumpty - 1 21. Darkblane - 1 24. SpacySmoke - 1 53. Cara - 2

Winter Village.

The station price converts to about £35, the Passenger Train to £90, and the Goods Train to an eye-watering £150! The piece counts are about the same as the current sets. Personally I'm hoping the Goods Train is dark blue, but that may be a bit of a pipe dream...

I'm also not sure they'll allow the trees outside the 16x16 square - they've been pretty strict about that, so if I were you I'd remove them and get new photos put up asap!

Wow! One of the best entries has been saved until last!

Righty, you're misunderstanding what Rick is saying - he's not saying that minifigures can only be outside the 16x16 square. He's saying that only minifigures can be outside the 16x16 square. So nothing else can be outside the square, which means your camel and cow cannot be outside the 16x16 square. Very nice entry though!

Nice design! By my reckoning this is the 40th entry to the contest! EDIT: I was wrong, it's the 41st entry.

Definitely plain white. You can see every colour clearly on it, even white and clear!

That is amazing! I love the production line, the cars moving along and being assembled! I also love the vending machine, the large old CRT monitors and the car transporter (which is better than Lego's new set!) Do you have close-up photos of the Train locomotive? It looks interesting, but it's a bit small in that photo. Great work!

Thanks! I was thinking of just using one motor. It sounds like the L-Motor would be best for that. I'm trying to think out of the box with the PF components - trying different ways of incorporating them into engines, seeing what can be done - and how to best incorporate that damned battery box! Some ideas I have would be easier to do if I didn't have to use the Train motor, hence my original question.

This question threw me a bit, because I don't see Friends as one of those themes that's around for a couple of years, like Castle or Space in their various guises. I consider it to be more like City, with it always being there (even if it gets a rebrand a la Town -> World City -> City). Think of Friends as like a girls version of City, with different sets out each year, but the actual theme sticking around. I don't think they'll ever actually 'retire' the whole theme. Would they ever retire City? No, and there's your answer.

yep that's the one!

search the google app store for 'lego power functions'. There's two come up, both by the same developer. I installed the one with the black background.

Ok thanks, it might be that an L motor would be better then.

^ Why not just turn one of the motors around?

It does? Oh ok, I just assumed it used a train motor. I build 6-wide though, so XL would be too wide for my use.

Thanks for that. I found that earlier, but it's basically an overload of data - it tells me what torque each motor produces, in something called 'N.cm', which it doesn't explain, and nor does it explain whether more N.cm is good or bad, rendering the data pretty much useless to anyone who doesn't know. It also really doesn't answer the main question I have, which is: which of the L or M motor is best for powering trains?

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone has tried using one of the other PF motors (8883 M-Motor, 8882 XL-Motor or 88003 L-Motor) to power a train, rather than the standard train motor? I'm curious as to which is best for use in trains, as I'd like to do a train where I don't have to rely on the standard train motor. Ideally I wouldn't use the XL Motor, as that looks a bit big to hide in a 6-wide train. I've looked for a thread like this but can't find one. I may have missed it however. Thanks!

On my phone it's called Samsung S4 Speed [something which is cut off] I'm guessing it can only be used for Samsung Galaxy S4s, which makes sense as it has Infra-red. It might work with other phones that have IR, but I don't know if many other Android phones do...

I've added more photos to my flickr account of the Ferris Wheel as part of a Winter Village display: http://www.flickr.co...02/11601944534/ Let me know what you think!

There's already an android app for controlling them if you have a phone with an IR sensor, but it's not brilliant if you have a phone cover which limits the scope of the beam.