Mini-review: 40052 Springtime Scene
Posted by Huw,
Spring is in the air...
Actually it's still freezing in the UK at the moment, but LEGO brand stores have put this set, 'Springtime scene', out on the shelves to remind us that, hopefully, warmer weather is just around the corner.
40052 is the latest in the 40000 series of sets that are normally exclusively sold in LEGO brand stores and shop.LEGO.com. They are usually seasonally themed, designed for specific shops (e.g. in New York), or for special in-store offers.
This one is unusual in that it's the first seasonal one to contain minifigs.
For a polybag set, it has a lot of pieces, 88 of them, including quite a few substantial ones. Consequently it commands a higher price than you'd perhaps expect for a polybag: £6.99.
As you can see from the photo above, it consists of three sub-models: a bench, a fountain and a tree. It contains 18 (plus 2 spares) of the 'Bracelet upper part' (1 x 1 flowery-piece) which is used on the flower stems and on the tree. The tree also has cherries hanging from it, which I believe is the first time I've seen that in an official model.
As I've said before, and will now demonstrate, the 1 x 1 flowery piece is for connecting certain pieces stud-to-stud:
(Who'd have thought you might learn a useful building technique whilst reading Brickset!)
The minifigs feature some of the more useful and attractive generic torsos that have been made over the last few years but, really, would the woman be wearing an all-orange trouser-suit? I think she'd have looked better in jeans.
My only criticism of the set is that it would have been preferable to have had a larger base plate, say a 16 x 16, and for everything to fit on it rather than being three separate parts.
In summary, this is a neat little set, but its relatively high price probably pushes it above the impulse buy threshold for the casual buyer, particularly when there are much cooler sets (Kai's Power Mech for example) to be had for about the same amount of money.
It's definitely one that true LEGO aficionados will appreciate though. With 40054 Summer Scene and 40057 Fall Scene sets due out later this year, together they'll all make a neat display.
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11 comments on this article
Probably you forgot that the Zombie Car (40076) was the first set of the 40000 series that include a minifig ;)
One wonders if, perhaps, a Winter Scene might follow at some point? Or perhaps I miss-read 'Fall Scene' and it's actually an accessory to the thespian minifig involving Ophelia, a willow tree and a muddy Danish river.
^^ I didn't consider that to be a 'seasonal' set as such.
I got it for almost half-price at my local Lego store because of a price tag issue… I wouldn't have bought it otherwise, but now I actually kind of like the tree… ;)
I hope this set is available in the United States soon! When I saw your review, I immediately went to shop.LEGO.com and searched for it with no luck.
I'd like this little beauty too, probably only available online though, unless TRU is now suddenly allowed to stock exclusive polybags of this type from LEGO in Canada, since The LEGO Store in Canada is pretty much relegated to about three provinces and isn't as numerous as it is in other countries. As far as I am aware, please correct me if I am wrong and The LEGO Store is only a store found in very few areas, much like it is here.
Give it time, it's only been available here for a few days.
Ooh, I did NOT know that technique!! Cool.
We already had a winter scene last xmas right? Summer at the beach and yeah, a fall scene would rock.
i feel like these sets are getting MUCH better of late
@ Odeinoichus Lego stores were once very scarce, they now seem to be popping up like Starbucks, one across the street from each other. An exaggeration of course, well not for the Starbucks, but they've had tremendous growth in the states, and from what I've been seeing, in the UK. We actually have two in the Seattle area which seems surprising.