Featured set of the day: Engine Company No. 9
Posted by Huw,
Khamsin takes us way back to the birth of the minifig for today's features set:
I'd like to share my story of the first Lego set I ever received: 590 Engine Co. No. 9. I was given it for Christmas in 1978 when I was just five years old.
I remember distinctly opening the wrapping, seeing those gleaming red fire engines and wanting to build it instantly. Mom told me to wait of course!
Once I did, and put the stickers on the firemen, I was hooked for life. I built that set so many times over the years, I can still build it from memory today. (it's one of the few sets that I don't have any trace of instructions for.)
Ever since that first set, I've continued to build and collect. I've bought several fire stations, but Engine Co. No. 9 is still may favourite. Sure there are better ones, like 10197 Fire Brigade, but maybe it's the nostalgia of your first set that makes one more special than the newer "better" sets.
Now, I wonder why Europe was saddled with that weird yellow version, 374 Fire Station...?
/p>
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374 was my first set at 4-years when our family was posted in Germany. The yellow didn’t matter, it was awesome!
In 1978 my family was at the first ever existing TARGET store (1962, still standing!) in my hometown of Roseville Minnesota & bought this set ( 590 US) for my older sister while I rallied for 462 Rocket Launcher. My argument being 462 was less than HALF the price of 590, which IIRR was $15. My folks bought 590 & wow was I PISSED. Of course I wound up with 462 eventually!!
I always thought the yellow equivalent was weird too.
People now can look at it and call it primitive, but this was one of the first minifig sets and was revolutionary at the time! I remember staring at this in the catalog and trying to build it with the lego pieces that i had at the time.
Even the way they took the pictures of the sets makes it look so appealing...
What a coincidence 590 was my first set too. I got it for Christmas in the early 80's, and my mom had to put it together with me as I was very young. I still have the instructions, but they are held together with a lot of tape. It's been on top of my list to put back together,and put in a display case for a long time. If memory serves me l have replaced all the broken, missing parts, and got a replacement sticker sheet. It's my most well loved, and played with set.
590 was the cornerstone of the Lego city my brother and I had setup for years.
I am sure I spent hours of my childhood life just playing with that extension ladder alone.
In marketing material for analogue timepieces, the hands are usually shown in the 10:10 position or thereabouts because it’s aesthetically pleasing. And that’s roughly the position of the hands in the clocks in both sets. Someone at LEGO back then knew what they were doing!
I had the yellow version of this set. My Grandmother was from Finland and brought us Legos every year when she visited. Thanks for the nice flashback!
As a guy from the US who was born long after this was discontinued, I think the yellow one looks nicer. Meshes nicely with the red doors, windows, and trucks.
I like that 'Merican flag though
@Robot99 said:
"As a guy from the US who was born long after this was discontinued, I think the yellow one looks nicer. Meshes nicely with the red doors, windows, and trucks.
I like that 'Merican flag though"
I have never owned either but I think I prefer the yellow, it stands out and provides a nice contrast to the red fire engines.
I got my 374 as a gift from my motherr back in 1980. I remember being indecisive about using the stickers even then. While I've lost many of the pieces, I recently managed to build it after maybe 30 years. Such a simple and charming set.
"Number nine... Number nine... Number nine..."
Never had this. I remember having a police station in a similar style and my brother had a coastguard or something similar
369 and 370.
I remember The baseplates having white studs to show where to put the starting bricks
@bananaworld said:
""Number nine... Number nine... Number nine...""
'' Long Long Long'' time since this set was released.. Approximately 8 years ago my interest in vintage Lego was sparked, and I made a decision to start collecting a few Lego sets from the first year of the minifig that I liked the look of, this set had the lowest set number (374) so figured I should start here. I soon found a boxed set on ebay listed as just 'vintage lego' with one blurry poorly taken photo of a tatty box with some bricks, no description no nothing... Watches and bidders were low and I won the auction for £14, paid and waited for the postman.
And.. my gamble paid off, what I received was a complete set with all pieces the correct period, side pips, many pat pend etc, all shiny and bright with no scratches or tooth marks, smart smiling minifigs and all the original stickers in amongst the pieces. Over the years I have since added a original empty sticker sheet.
The set itself is a wonder with two vehicles that emerge from behind closing doors, a tree, lovely happy firemen, the station itself has a canteen and office with a phone, and a secret room in the clock tower. Note, the European version doesn't have the window frame behind the shutters, just a void. My favourite touch is the extra ladder hanging on the exterior wall. Again with these early sets, the box art is a joy.
@zander
I had heard that the 10:10 gave the watch face a subliminal yonic symbol so as to attract men to buy them.
Such a small Firetruck compared to the 2019 Downtown set, but that's 100% okay.
This is still an awesome set.
How incredibly charming this is! Makes me think about the changes Lego went through.
Apart from the level of detail, what really separates this design from today’s style, is that everything here is allowed to have its own “childrensbook”- proportions. The width of the car, the hight of the windshield.
Today, the vehicles try to be as lifelike as possible, and that clashes with the minifigs, where their heads are about 1/3 of their height. Which results in unsatisfying strangely huge vehicles next to dwarfes. As long as I see only the driver’s head in the car, it’s fine. But he can’t exit without help.
This was my first too! I loved the roof antennae and the flag.Those garage doors were always so weird. I was so glad when they came out with roll up ones a few years later.
OH the memories! This was also my first mini-figure set, getting it for my 8th birthday in 1979 along with the 554 Fuel Pumper. Such an awesome set for its day. I still have the set and all the pieces, including an intact clear antenna! I can rebuild it in a matter of minutes after 42 years without the instructions. I just wish I still had the box - oh well. This start started my love affair for collecting Town series sets which has spilled over onto the CITY scene. The originals are still the best. Thanks for the posting!
@calculus_teacher said:
"OH the memories! This was also my first mini-figure set, getting it for my 8th birthday in 1979 along with the 554 Fuel Pumper. Such an awesome set for its day. I still have the set and all the pieces, including an intact clear antenna! I can rebuild it in a matter of minutes after 42 years without the instructions. I just wish I still had the box - oh well. This start started my love affair for collecting Town series sets which has spilled over onto the CITY scene. The originals are still the best. Thanks for the posting!"
Preach it! I love how the Modular series has really brought town & city into the level of super collecting. It's interesting that no other venues really have had a modular take on them. How interesting would it be for Lego to make modular-like Castle, or Space sets?
Today's Lego city is just so much more expansive than the little towns I used to build with five buildings and the old road plates.
@Darth_Dee
Those clear doors have been the hardest parts to replace. I had those with 590 and 588-1 Police Headquarters. Most of those thin clear doors broke in half over the years, and I still have several halves that have been glued & reglued. $20 each on Bricklink is still a bit salty though.