Freddie

You'll need the set itself, two packs of power-conducting curves for a (very) basic oval, a 9V transformer/speed regulator, a 9V motor and this thread for instructions on how to motorize the train. In other words, 10183 is a push train with no motor, no power-supply, no tracks and no longer in production! As a novice you should absolutely also know that both 9V and RC trains are discontinued, as they are being replaced by a new train system that uses the newer power-functions system. Check this thread for more info on that.

The cars do look interesting, especially the pieces - I see new mudguards and that new six-wide windshield. I didn't expect the blocky look of 8158, though. Bummer that 8159 and 8160 features the same car, though.

I spy... new windows! *y* Love the new air-crane model too. Gonna get me one/two of those and minifigize it. Maybe, not so sure yet if it'll happen. But I want to.

It looks like the Tumbler's evil counterpart, something a villain would design to take on Batman's personal transport directly - that's the first thought that hit me when I saw it. To keep it short and sweet, I think it looks terrific. *y*

I think that MOC is simply awesome. It has captured both the look and feel of a snowmobile, and there is no mistaking it for something else. Love it. Simply love it, except maybe that it looks a bit fragile.

...until the new live Star Wars series goes on air. No reason for LEGO to drop a license/theme that harvests money. It's good buisiness practice, and today's toy markets are tougher and harder than ever. The Star Wars theme has been succesful for both Lucasfilm and LEGO so far, and I'm crossing my fingers that the license will be renewed when the current one is coming to and end.

Seems like everybody is reviewing the advent calendar - Chris Doyle has neatly integrated his reviews with his webcomic, simoultanously reviewing the Belville calendar as well. But don't let this put you off reviewing this, UB! I'm still waiting for your review on today's present.

The holiday train is a push train, so there are no motors in it. It is, more or less, prepared for a 9V motor. Simply take the tender, remove the 6x6 plates and everything beneath those, and place the remaining body, using 1x2 plates on the motor's decorations, on top of the motor.

Am I the only one who has noticed that the cars themselves are still four-wide, while only the trucks and vans have grown to six-wide, vehicles which in real life are wider than normal cars? Don't try to reason with me that the wheel-arches make the cars wider, because in my eyes that doesn't count. I am happy that the cars no longer resemble golf-carts. I do not miss the four-wide trucks either. And it has been a while since TLC designed four-wide trucks as well. Most trucks released in the 90's had a four-wide cabin, five-wide sleeper and aeroshield, with the trailers themselves being six-wide, with only the container freighters being four wide. With the new six-wide cabins, the new trucks released so far actually resemble what's seen on the roads (in Europe), which is all plusses in my book. Somebody mentioned above using the new large pieces in new creative ways. The time-machine from Meet the Robinsons is an excellent example of how it can be done. I've also seen two examples using the rear-hull piece used as a hot-air balloon and a submarine. The rest of the plane have been used as trains, as we all know. Besides, we all know that the sets targeted at us AFOL's have been using small bricks almost exclusively. Look at Caf

At least they didn't crack and broadcast it in early november. ;-)

I too didn't open mine until today. Altough, I didn't have much choice - it wasn't securely in my posession until late last night (30th nov.), so obviously I could wait a few hours. There are lots of neat details on the front. I'm curious, which pieces are used for the scates? And the golden piece the thief holds in his hand? It's also neat to see TLC for once combine sets in ways that are unusual for them. For example 7239 w/o trailer parked in the station, with its boat being used by the police. Normal in every home, but not for TLC.

Methinks it might be the "30" sign, which in Canada should be in km/h, no? 30 mph is way to fast for safely passing road works anyway, altough by the look of things they might as well just shut down that one lane or set up some temporary lights. No one's getting past with traffic looking like that! Still, awesome project you've got going there! *y*

It's part of 7733, and comes along with the freight truck. IMO, it's the best looking forklift LEGO has ever released, not counting the TECHNIC ones, so I have already decided that I want two of that set. The police station looks fantastic, so does the new cargo plane. The police surveillance/command truck on the other hand is a bit of a letdown. I'll probably get me one anyway, but it won't see any roads until it's received a major facelift.

I too think that Dreamworks is, by making Shrek a quintology and giving Puss-In-Boots his own movie, taking it way too far. The first Shrek movie was original because it was just that, original. I've seen the second one, which I frankly was less impressed with, and I had absolutely no interest in the third movie. I don't necessarily believe that Dreamworks should make originals instead of sequels, though. If there is a script for a sequel that makes it worth it, go for it. Pixar on the other hand (hopefully now also Disney after they acquired Pixar - with key Pixar personell now controlling Disney, no less!) have been good at making great movies - not children movies, but family movies that the entire family can watch without getting bored. IMO, the only let down from Pixar was Cars (altough I still think it was good), and I am yet to watch Ratatouille. Disney also seems to have been improving (Meet the Robinsons was great) and it looks like they have a few great new films up their sleeves.

Ditto. Some of these look like re-issues with the new GID-pieces (especially 8149). 8151 looks like they got desperate trying to find a way integrating GIDs. Maybe about time they start looking at alternative tuner cars, like hot rods and muscle cars again? I'll still buy them, though. I collect these as well.

Just for clarification: the batcycle is officially known as the Batpod in the Dark Knight. With the set being with the Batcycle and Harley Quinn, it's likely to not be from any of the (live action) movies. I'm a bit bummed about all new summer CITY-sets being coastguard-themed. I was hoping for something maybe a little bit more diverse, even if it in a sense expands the harbour theme.

It's a neat truck, altough it reminds me more of a Tatra rather than a Unimog, since the former has proportions more like your truck. IMO, the taillights look to modern for this truck, I would probably have used round 1 x 1 plates instead. That, or extended the bed a bit so that the taillights wouldn't stick out so much.

The final battle of the current storyline, more like it. Ambassadors and AFOLs have cooperated with LEGO and written a full storyline for Bionicle well into 2010. A for the helicopter, I'll reserve judgement 'til I can see its design properly. I am intrigued by its nose-piece, because it reminds me of the nose used on the Euro Express and that yellow low-rider high-speed train. The liferaft is cool, and the shark is a neat detail that I wouldn't have expected. Nice to see its comeback. *y*

It would be better if they did Richard Hammond's amphiboius VW Camper Narrowboat. That one made me laugh. A lot. Twice. Staying on topic: That blue beetle is a lot nicer than the grey on that was previewed. I'm tempted to get one, pity I need to save up money for a proper car, seing how my current one has fallen to the plague known as rust. Nonetheless, if the Beetle should prove to be a success, I sure hope LEGO would consider doing the Combi, and maybe also the Mk. I Golf GTi as well.

Those are some very nice train cars. Right now the folder isn't public, so I wonder if you've covered up the ugly yellow base-color for the chrome tanker? At first I thought you meant you've used one of Asbury's MOCs for inspiration for your tank-car; he's built a pair of very nice tanker trucks. I also like the color scheme on the passenger wagon; there's a completeness to it. It doesn't really matter if it has a dedicated locomotive and matching sister cars or not, it's the kind that one would maybe expect to see on a mixed train - like a circus train for instance.

It occasionally happens that I think what LEGO-sets I've could bought instead of, say, filling the car with petrol so that I can drive to college and get me my education. Then rationale thinking strikes, I imagine what my eductation opens up for (earning a more money and a futere, and what I can do with my current collection. But, it is far more normal for me to rate the money in how much work I will have to do to earn it back. I don't fill up my car with petrol worth 35

A small, simple but very neat 2+R gearbox. All the more impressive that you (and your father) took the time to figure it out yourselves. *y* A variation of this setup is used for the automatic gearboxes one can build in Technic, but those are three forward and no reverse (motor reverses and the gearbox stays in third). Plus the shift-motivator itself is the size of the gearbox. :-/

Like PSPGuy said, we don't know. It has been thoroughly discussed in this topic, that it might be a new modular building to go along with the Corner Caf

Nightwish - Dark Passion Play *y* Bought it on the net two days ago, arrived this afternoon. Great album.

That's a fair amount of snow. We haven't gotten any snow yet, altough I sort of expect it to come in the next month or so. I'm not very fond of snow, altough I must admit I miss it if there's a winter when there's not much snow, especially in christmas. That particular feeling is hard fought for when the snow isn't there. Plus driving in snow is also a lot easier when it's dark, driving in pitch-black conditions is not fun. One winter I got to ride with my neightbour's snow-plow equipped tractor. Great fun as you can litteraly hear and see everything working from the cab, as the machine muscles its way forward, pushing snow aside - makes you feel really powerful and unstoppable. X-D We used to get up to a meter deep of snow before, some ten years ago, when we moved to where we live now. Now there's hardly any snow in the winters, the last two christmases have been snow-less. :-(