Random set of the day: Coast Guard Station (Canadian version)
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 575 Coast Guard Station (Canadian version), released during 1978. It's one of 35 Town sets produced that year. It contains 284 pieces and 5 minifigs.
It's owned by 6 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
Help me come to life! If you like the set I've chosen for you today, please pledge your support for me on LEGO Ideas so I have a chance of becoming an official LEGO set!
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52 comments on this article
So I guess this version is friendlier and nicer than the other versions?
That helicopter is probably more reliable than a Sea King!
Oh man, I have never seen this before but I want it!! At least, I want that Canadian flag!*
Five figs, the blue baseplate, two vehicles, and a solid build (certainly for back in the day).--this set is GOOD. Sign me up!
*Full disclosure: @Formendacil is a nostalgic, expatriate Canadian.
Aaaw, cute!
Does this mean that there was an American version at the same time? And I suppose one was sold in Canada and the other in the US? What about the UK and other places did they get special ones or did they have simple generic coast guard stations? This set raises a lot of questions.
This was added on Brickset recently. What timing.
That door seems like a bit of a tight squeeze
If there were cars in that set they would have square wheels!! Cause Canada!!
That helicopter pilot is aboot to crash into that tower!
@Lego_mini_fan said:
"This was added on Brickset recently. What timing."
Déjà vu...
Or as some Canadians may say:
Déjà vu...
Life in America can be so toxic that just seeing the word "Canadian" gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. I don't know weather I should be happy or sad about that.
Is that life buoy on the black wall a sticker or an actual piece? The red one's clearly a sticker, but the other I can't tell from this angle.
@Biff_Superman said:
"That helicopter pilot is aboot to crash into that tower!"
HEY! In Lego City Canada, Duke Caboom's helicopter has just crashed into the Coast Guard tower! Quick! Build the disaster scene! Rescue the moose from the helicopter's debris field, and save the day for Canada and win the War of 1812! Can be combined with any bottle of maple syrup for added dramatic effect!*
*Maple syrup and moose sold separately.
Enough stereotypical Canadian-related stuff for you, eh?:-P
Those watercraft are…something!
In my early days of collecting (about five years ago), I saw that Canadian flag piece in a thrift store bag of classical LEGO parts, but didn't think it was LEGO at all. The donated parts were divvied up into three bags and I only managed to get one of them (containing that flag), with another shopper getting two. After a while I figured I didn't want the parts any more since I only got 1 of 3, and didn't really see any value in what was in that bag, so I found the other shopper to hand it over and complete the trio.
On the one hand I regret not having that flag, but on the other hand I hope the other guy got something out of it all.
Note the classic space man in the back with the coastguard shirt on...
@Zordboy:
There’s a lot of farting, and the tops of the minifig heads aren’t connected to the lower parts. This is what TV has taught me.
With 6 declared owners, this is probably the least-owned RSOTD so far...yes?
I loved playing with my friend's US version of this back in the day, those light gray engine pieces were pretty versatile. I highly doubt I'll ever find a complete set with all stickers still intact for anything less than the mortgage on my house!
The US version was the very first 4th of July random set of the day. (Yes, it was a random coincidence)
The article number is 37063.
So we should try say new, original stuff about this that wasn't mentioned before. Like how the tip of the tower has a weird propeller on it and is topped by a clearly illegal technique. That 1x4 towball plate, along with its mate below, and the propeller, just seem to have been thrown on for some reason. Are they required for alternate builds?
The helicopter has the same S21 designation as the one from the even older 354/560-2 Police Heliport. What is its significance? Is it a recurring easter egg like A113 in Pixar? It wasn't in the US version, it had a US national roundel instead, as indentified by @CopperTablet in back in 2018. According to them, it should have had the logo with diagonal red stripe, which I believe was design of the sticker on top of the tower in the American version. On the dock there was a detailed white life preserver sticker that had "US Coast Guard" on it. Both were replaced here by more stylized life preserver stickers, which use the generic design used in old town and boat sets.
@MeisterDad said:
"In my early days of collecting (about five years ago), I saw that Canadian flag piece in a thrift store bag of classical LEGO parts, but didn't think it was LEGO at all. The donated parts were divvied up into three bags and I only managed to get one of them (containing that flag), with another shopper getting two. After a while I figured I didn't want the parts any more since I only got 1 of 3, and didn't really see any value in what was in that bag, so I found the other shopper to hand it over and complete the trio.
On the one hand I regret not having that flag, but on the other hand I hope the other guy got something out of it all."
That’s the problem with Canadians. You’re too nice! ;~)
>Canadian version
>no empty Tim Horton's cups strewn all over the floor
fake
For some reason I feel this has been RSOTD before... Maybe I just saw it was added?
Ah...hello again my childhood...:)
First set I had with minifigures (prior to it, had the manikinfig and spaghetti-arm figs)...and I was STOKED...seriously; this was the first time I ever, even as 'kid me', saw 'potential' in a toy line...and the next year Lego delivered: 'Space', 'Castle', and 'Town' (later know as/upgraded to 'City')...Ah, good times/Let the 'madness' begin...
“Hey, before you take off, yeah, did you want the Molson or the Moosehead, eh?”
@BulbaNerd4000 said:
"For some reason I feel this has been RSOTD before... Maybe I just saw it was added?"
The US version which is identical except for the flag was RSotD 4 July 2018. Maybe that’s what you were thinking of.
Hmmm, US version on 4 July. Coincidence?
This is perhaps the most unCanadian thing I’ve ever seen. Even though the Coast Guard is not a branch of military in Canada, there’s no way any Canadian government-run organization could afford such modern, top of the line vessels such as these.
Best coast guard set out there.
@ElephantKnight said:
"Best coast guard set out there."
Yes but how does it fare as a Blacktron set?
Ha, I scanned and sent it few weeks ago after not finding it on the site, weird to see it here :)
For those that want, here's a link with Hi-Res scans of the box
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fkr2yf49nbnkoix/AAD0GuKnbPD3ZAu-049zrHtIa?dl=0
@oldfan said:
"With 6 declared owners, this is probably the least-owned RSOTD so far...yes?
I loved playing with my friend's US version of this back in the day, those light gray engine pieces were pretty versatile. I highly doubt I'll ever find a complete set with all stickers still intact for anything less than the mortgage on my house!"
Make that 7! I forgot to add it to my owned list but it’s there now. I got it as a kid a lonnnnngg time ago and it currently sitting in my home work office on the bookshelf. One of the few sets that survived from my childhood.
My brother had 575 the US version of this set, so I was fascinated when it was added to the database a month ago because my wife is Canadian (and therefore my son is half Canadian).
Looking at the photo for this set, it's pretty clear that the photo is the photo of the US set but they simply pasted the new flag and non-US Coast Guard logos on there. (I'd say Photoshop, but this obviously pre-dates Adobe Photoshop by a decade or so.)
Other than this version and the US version, there's also 369 which has the original limbless mini-figures.
I'm nostalgic when it comes to Classic Town, but early sets looks more like a Basic set than a Town. So I'll pass this and wait for next years sets.
Oh, wow. This one goes WAY back.
Sets with minifigs got better very fast as the sets from just the next year and 1980 are definitely better.
Despite my love for all these older sets - 1978 was my first year of Lego sets - I'll only give this a B grade as the watercraft just don't do it for me like some of the other sets from this era do.
Sorry, Classic Town! This just isn't one of your better sets.
I love how the flag has been photoshopped here, of that even existed back then...
I have the 369, which is practically the same but with different colours and two years earlier. With the minifigs being the motionless minifigs from that time. This was one of my favorite sets at that time and i have rebuild it very often
@Brickodillo said:
"I have the 369, which is practically the same but with different colours and two years earlier. With the minifigs being the motionless minifigs from that time. This was one of my favorite sets at that time and i have rebuild it very often"
It was a favorite set of me too and I would like to rebuild it with current pieces
I'm very disappointed to see all the tired old Canadian stereotypes being trotted out in these comments. Hockey, Tim Hortons, maple syrup.
Surely by now we should have progressed past such things. I mean, it's aboot time.
How many versions of this are there? Would there be a Vatican one?
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Biff_Superman said:
"That helicopter pilot is aboot to crash into that tower!"
HEY! In Lego City Canada, Duke Caboom's helicopter has just crashed into the Coast Guard tower! Quick! Build the disaster scene! Rescue the moose from the helicopter's debris field, and save the day for Canada and win the War of 1812! Can be combined with any bottle of maple syrup for added dramatic effect!*
*Maple syrup and moose sold separately.
Enough stereotypical Canadian-related stuff for you, eh?:-P"
…buddy.
Wasn’t this the random set before within the past few months or am I misremembering? I know that it is all just probably so at some point, it is likely to happen.
@Wrecknbuild said:
"How many versions of this are there? Would there be a Vatican one?"
3 versions I know of (so far)
369 - European version with old style figures
575 US version, now with minifigures
575 Canadian Version
@Iguanaboy said:
"Wasn’t this the random set before within the past few months or am I misremembering? I know that it is all just probably so at some point, it is likely to happen."
Please see my reply @BulbaNerd4000 above, though I should have said the flag and coastguard insignia are different, not just the flag.
A blue baseplate must have been pretty rare back then, usually all green or grey. I didn't realise it was so difficult to build a boat back then and needed to use Lego space hopper parts! I would love to know how that guy is holding those green and red circular bricks, maybe magic glue?
I had the 369 version in red and yellow with the blue armless minifigs. Luckily this version has normal minifigs that actually could climb the ladder and sit down in the targa topped helicopter.
the US version is one of my favorite childhood sets! the watercraft would alternate between that and airspeeders, flying around the house ^_^ yeah and such a weird size baseplate. love this set still!
@GSR_MataNui said:
"Is that life buoy on the black wall a sticker or an actual piece? The red one's clearly a sticker, but the other I can't tell from this angle. "
sticker, alas
Canadians are weird.
And is that some "illegal" parts usage I spy up there on the tower? That... Trailer hitch radar is definitely not attached to anything in the recommended way.
@ambr said:
"A blue baseplate must have been pretty rare back then, usually all green or grey. I didn't realise it was so difficult to build a boat back then and needed to use Lego space hopper parts! I would love to know how that guy is holding those green and red circular bricks, maybe magic glue?"
The mini-figure hands are the same size as a stud so you can just snap bricks on.
My childhood friends and I got into LEGO around 1980 and we all wanted the American version when we saw it in the catalogs. Not sure if there were any left in the stores then or if it was just to pricey.
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Biff_Superman said:
"That helicopter pilot is aboot to crash into that tower!"
HEY! In Lego City Canada, Duke Caboom's helicopter has just crashed into the Coast Guard tower! Quick! Build the disaster scene! Rescue the moose from the helicopter's debris field, and save the day for Canada and win the War of 1812! Can be combined with any bottle of maple syrup for added dramatic effect!*
*Maple syrup and moose sold separately.
Enough stereotypical Canadian-related stuff for you, eh?:-P"
LMAO
@elangab said:
"Ha, I scanned and sent it few weeks ago after not finding it on the site, weird to see it here :)
For those that want, here's a link with Hi-Res scans of the box
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fkr2yf49nbnkoix/AAD0GuKnbPD3ZAu-049zrHtIa?dl=0"
Thanks. I'll add them to the database.
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Biff_Superman said:
"That helicopter pilot is aboot to crash into that tower!"
HEY! In Lego City Canada, Duke Caboom's helicopter has just crashed into the Coast Guard tower! Quick! Build the disaster scene! Rescue the moose from the helicopter's debris field, and save the day for Canada and win the War of 1812! Can be combined with any bottle of maple syrup for added dramatic effect!*
*Maple syrup and moose sold separately.
Enough stereotypical Canadian-related stuff for you, eh?:-P"
Where's that Mounty when you need him?
Probably arresting all the Michael Palin lookalike lumberjacks... :-)
As a Canadian who builds Canada-themed LEGO Ideas projects, this set intrigues me. I kinda want it for collectible purposes. 1978 is pretty much that last time that any LEGO set featured the Canadian flag. Yes, there have been a few sets with a maple leaf logo, but not the actual Canadian flag.
That's why you should support the VIA Rail Canada train project(s) that I have made :D :D :D Give us Canadian blokes some representation y'all... mate.
Can you imagine opening this up for your 6th birthday and seeing Real Lego Minifigures for the very first time? Ones that actually had eyes and smiles and could move their arms and legs? That was me (with the American version). Good times!
@guthrie7, It’s not much of a stretch as I had a similar experience. I’m older than you, but remember seeing a LEGO catalogue in, I think, 1979 with the first ‘true’ minifigures (not ‘slabbies’). I recall seeing the pictures and at first thinking they had separate arms and legs but in fixed positions. It wasn’t until I perused the pictures and scrutinised the text that I realised 1) they were articulated and 2) I was in love :~P