Random set of the day: Fire Control Centre
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 6389 Fire Control Centre, released during 1990. It's one of 27 Town sets produced that year. It contains 533 pieces and 4 minifigs, and its retail price was US$52.
It's owned by 3,813 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you should find it for sale at BrickLink, where new ones sell for around $420.80, or eBay.
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38 comments on this article
Looks more like a more juniorised version of 7945
@RaiderOfTheLostBrick said:
"Looks more like a more juniorised version of 7945"
7945 was a 2007 remake of 6389. Respect the ancestors.
Very cute, I miss the charm the old Town sets have.
Classic charming Town set. I think I had a later fire station, but I'm sure I mooned over this set in a catalog back in the day.
Vividly remember getting this for my birthday. Felt like the luckiest kid ever. Many an imaginary fire were put out by these guys!
The fire engine almost looks like a tank or some kind of APC. This whole set look is still fantastic.
Aw, look. They've got a unicorn-truck.
I always remember this from the many Town dioramas shown in early 90s catalogues.
While I might surely be blinded by nostalgia here, this is my favorite Lego fire station ever. Admittedly a bit rough by modern standards, but it kind of combines all the essentials of both older and more modern sets of it's type at a decent size.
It could easily be integrated in most 90s Town layouts, had some very unique vehicles and both useful and rare pieces. I especiallly like that large printed panel on the roof :D
I recently rebuilt this one for my two toddler sons who spent the last two months making nonstop siren noises. What a perfect fire station set.
Seems to be working, no fires to be seen in this image. Unless you count the symbols on the vehicles. With enough water pressure, those should snuff right out.
Perhaps more than any other fire truck Lego has made—even a particularly infamous one, 4605—this one "looks like a spaceship, not a fire truck." And I love it. It might be the nostalgia glasses, but I think this set looked fantastic, complete with its very strange and not-at-all fire-truck-like fire truck. It's an icon of the era when I thought Lego was just about perfect.
For background of the quote above, here's the relevant passage from "Brick By Brick", p. 127–128:
"He next flashed an image of a 2001 fire truck from Jack Stone, the futuristic, theme-based line that had supplanted City. With its bubble cockpit, oversize tires, and blocky rear section, the Jack Stone creation "looks like a spaceship, not a fire truck," [Mads] Nipper asserted.
He then put up a slide of [Henrick] Andersen's newly reinvented truck, which would soon launch under the revived City brand. Like the best LEGO toys, the truck was strikingly realistic, with more than enough detailing to hold a savvy seven-year-old in its sway. Yet it was also classic LEGO, with the studs prominently protruding from the top of the truck. "This is what a fire truck should look like," Nipper announced. And then, pointing to the Jack Stone toy, he added, "We will never again make a fire truck like that one.""
And I have to admit, the mid-2000s fire vehicles like 7239 were better models. But this old Town era was just so much fun all around.
I like it. The firetruck with the hose looks cool.
“Fire Control Centre” sounds like they’re not putting out the fires, just starting and manipulating them…
…is this where Dr. Inferno from Agents got his start?
I was amazed by the styling of the fire engine in this set. It was a very futuristic design. There was this and 6430 Night Patroller, similar design. Years later I had enough parts to build a modernized version of this.
Peak 90s design, realistic, but also futuristic! This is still my favorite Fire Station, even if more recent renditions more accurately reflect Fire Stations and Rescue vehicles.
The interesting part about fire stations is that you can see the trends of lego building over time because there have been so many. It's like many photos on a timelapse that can be flipped through to create an animation.
Those fences weren't around for all that long and the sloped cockpit was still in vogue at the time.
Personally I like the 1994 one more, but this one definitely has its early 90s charm!
@RaiderOfTheLostBrick said:
"Looks more like a more juniorised version of 7945 "
*laughs
Oh wait, you're serious?
*laughs even harder
This set is from 1990. We're fresh out of the 80s, most parts that define the decade have yet to come. The year of 1997 when 'Town Jr.' starts is 7 years away. Jack Stone is 11 years away. The year lego nearly goes bankrupt is 12 years way.
If you look at the parts list you'll see mostly regular parts amidst general parts to make a fire station. Maybe the fences? But is having specific parts juniorized? Should every set either be a Model-Team esque set or a build from the 60s with only basic bricks and plates?
Sorry if I come of as mean, it's not my intention. I'm just wondering what isn't juniorized at this point. At this point the term lost all meaning. I've seen it thrown around so much, usually to deride sets people don't like. But what do people actually mean with it specifically anymore?
Even if you meant the other way around, the 2007 station isn't particularly 'juniorized' either beside being aimed at 5+ with being built in numbered bags. The parts are regular ones for the 2000s, no prefab parts beyond some car parts that forego the need of needless complexity. It's just regular bricks and an at-the-time slightly luxurious design (true to 2000s fashion its footprint is large).
Look at 6478 and read through the instructions. This is a good comparative example of what people online have coined as 'juniorized'. Now read the instructions of today's set and compare. The 2000 set clearly has a design philosophy based on play and quick building above all else. Things are simple because lego at the time thought kids didn't have the patience for complex building and would rather play with electronic toys because of it. Themes like Jack Stone were meant to cater to those kids. However, it seeped into many aspects of the entire building system over all themes to some extent and the amount of parts balooned. That's what's usually meant with juniorization.
A modern example is the 4+ range of sets. Prefab car bottom parts to facilitate faster building for instant play. You could still call it juniorized because the same design principles are in effect, only now in a deliberate amd controlled manner local to themes that use that age range.
I'm divided on this one: It still has the 90s charm, and I looked at it quite a bit in the catalogues, but I don't think it has the same charm as its ancestor 6385 did 5(!!) years earlier.
The biggest set from my childhood! =) My cousin and I used to build an enormous space pirate ship with these red bricks :)
A heartfelt thank you to Clavin R. Remmert (RIP), a dear American friend of our family, for your incredible generosity to a young boy in Russia in the early '90s. Your gifts of sparked countless cherished memories and a lifelong love for Lego bricks. These sets are truly a part of my happiest childhood moments.
@raven_za said:
"I'm divided on this one: It still has the 90s charm, and I looked at it quite a bit in the catalogues, but I don't think it has the same charm as its ancestor 6385 did 5(!!) years earlier."
I've got 6385, it's an amazing set. They basically just took its design for this one and then made it a bit worse/
My favorite will always be the one I have, which is 6382, though I like it's successor 6385 too.
i recently discovered in the SteckKastenKrew's review that the truck... doesn't fit in its garage in this set! it's too long!
Like in the last fire station :/
@Lego_lord said:
"I was amazed by the styling of the fire engine in this set. It was a very futuristic design. There was this and 6430 Night Patroller, similar design. Years later I had enough parts to build a modernized version of this."
Also what I loved about it! and yes, similar to 6430, which I also liked. have pics of your newer version?
I remember when I first got and built this set, I accidentally used one of the printed panels meant for the "cockpit" of the fire engine as one of the sides of the brush truck's bed, and for a minute I thought I was missing a piece.
@BlackFalconBirdman said:
" @Lego_lord said:
"I was amazed by the styling of the fire engine in this set. It was a very futuristic design. There was this and 6430 Night Patroller, similar design. Years later I had enough parts to build a modernized version of this."
Also what I loved about it! and yes, similar to 6430, which I also liked. have pics of your newer version?"
Yes, indeed I do. You can check it from here: https://brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=6737316
I hope the link works.
@PurpleDave said:
"Aw, look. They've got a unicorn-truck."
The Last Unicorn-Truck, from what is seems. Somebody outta make a movie about that.
I have this set and I think this is an awesome example of a airport fire station instead of a neighborhood fire station.
@JukEboX said:
"I have this set and I think this is an awesome example of a airport fire station instead of a neighborhood fire station."
Interesting mention, given that this set was released alongside the second full range of Airport sub-theme sets in Town.
I remember when some fire trucks have the light and sound bricks back then
@JukEboX said:
"I have this set and I think this is an awesome example of a airport fire station instead of a neighborhood fire station."
I was actually just thinking about that. I accompanied my dad on an Honor Flight, and as we taxied out to the runway prior to takeoff, and again as we taxied to the terminal after landing, both airports had two fire trucks stationed on either side of the taxiway to “salute” the flight, which basically involved unloading their water tanks on us. I had just realized the unicorn truck looks very similar to their design, because they’re basically like an artillery truck that shoots water.
@Prof_Whymzi_Jr said:
"on the Third Day of Christmas, Huwbot gave to us:
A Retro Fire Station,
An Upgraded Robo-Cop,
and Someone's Bionicle OC!"
Does it really count as retro when the truck looks so futuristic?
I have both this and 6385, and I love both of them. The vehicle design is very different, but it feels fine for a town to have two fire stations of different ages, with corresponding vehicles. The angular windshield is definitely funny, but hey, it's the kind of thing I'd have tried to build as a kid and I'm going to build it again as an adult!
@Lego_lord said:
" @BlackFalconBirdman said:
" @Lego_lord said:
"I was amazed by the styling of the fire engine in this set. It was a very futuristic design. There was this and 6430 Night Patroller, similar design. Years later I had enough parts to build a modernized version of this."
Also what I loved about it! and yes, similar to 6430, which I also liked. have pics of your newer version?"
Yes, indeed I do. You can check it from here: https://brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=6737316
I hope the link works."
That's nice!
@TheOtherMike said:
" @Prof_Whymzi_Jr said:
"on the Third Day of Christmas, Huwbot gave to us:
A Retro Fire Station,
An Upgraded Robo-Cop,
and Someone's Bionicle OC!"
Does it really count as retro when the truck looks so futuristic?"
Yes. Anytime you see a futuristic design that involves humans wearing clothes that feature little Saturn-style rings around wrists, ankles, or waist, it’s a throwback to The Jetsons, an animated sci-fi sitcom from the early 1960’s and late 1980’s. That “futuristic” style is extremely dated at this point.
@AustinPowers said:
"My favorite will always be the one I have, which is 6382, though I like it's successor 6385 too. "
I would echo the same comments. I possess 590 (my first fire station), 6382, and 6385. 6382 is my absolute favorite; it was my first set with the new style rolling garage doors and the unique baseplate. I obtained 6385 years later online so I could have the mid-80's upgrade. By the time this set 6389 rolled out, I was near done collecting LEGO for the next several years while away at college.
My first lego set :,(. My family used to buy only Tente because it was way cheaper than Lego here in spain, but after this set, I never wanted more Tente sets.
Now my 5 year old son owns this set... along with TONS of other legos! Times really changed...
You know how some people will claim (not in a way that reflects well upon them) that "all X people look the same to me"? Well... I kind of feel that way about LEGO fire stations. And, in a correspondingly milder way, I also think this doesn't reflect well on me. LEGO fire stations are a staple for a good reason. But as someone who never had one and who MOSTLY avoided having fire fighter LEGO other than a few small sets throughout the years, they don't really hold a lot of distinctions in my mind.
@PurpleDave said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @Prof_Whymzi_Jr said:
"on the Third Day of Christmas, Huwbot gave to us:
A Retro Fire Station,
An Upgraded Robo-Cop,
and Someone's Bionicle OC!"
Does it really count as retro when the truck looks so futuristic?"
Yes. Anytime you see a futuristic design that involves humans wearing clothes that feature little Saturn-style rings around wrists, ankles, or waist, it’s a throwback to The Jetsons, an animated sci-fi sitcom from the early 1960’s and late 1980’s. That “futuristic” style is extremely dated at this point."
Yeah, but this set (or at least the truck) was futuristic at the time of its release.
@Andrusi said:
" @Lego_lord said:
" @BlackFalconBirdman said:
" @Lego_lord said:
"I was amazed by the styling of the fire engine in this set. It was a very futuristic design. There was this and 6430 Night Patroller, similar design. Years later I had enough parts to build a modernized version of this."
Also what I loved about it! and yes, similar to 6430, which I also liked. have pics of your newer version?"
Yes, indeed I do. You can check it from here: https://brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=6737316
I hope the link works."
That's nice!"
yes! I love it! it's great you used a similar 6wheel concept (which is another great thing about that vehicle). I was very curious what windscreen you'd use since not many are similar to the short-nosed ones of these 90's set, but I really like what you did, especially with the headlights. Similar, yet original.