Random set of the day: Public Works Center
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 6383 Public Works Center, released during 1981. It's one of 15 Town sets produced that year. It contains 421 pieces and 4 minifigs, and its retail price was US$30.
It's owned by 618 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
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40 comments on this article
I've got nothing funny to say, this looks like a bunch of fun.
Oh man I really wanted this as a kid. That crane and dump truck combo looked so fun. But I got Cargo Center instead, which was still a great set. Sets with base plates were awesome!
So many play features that don’t require exploding walls.
I always thought this was a simply brilliant set! I especially like the roll-up garage doors and the sliding clamshell crane. A very nice example of how to pack lots of play value into a set without requiring an enormous part count.
I sure hope no one is about to walk out that red door; the claw has a very loose grip on those bricks!
30 USD? I get that is in 80's dollars, but still what a lot of play value for such a cost.. I wanted this desperately as a kid, and got it finally many many years later in a LEGO lot, but really a fun set!
You knew you were in for a good time when the set comes with not one, but two baseplates.
Nothing to complain about here, looks super cool! A modern City equivalent would be awesome.
This looks like sooooo much fun!
I was lucky to find this set at a garage sale about 10 years ago. Just had to buy a few parts on Bricklink to complete it. It was really fun building it for the first time when I was in my 30s. Brought back great memories of building those kinds of sets as a kid. A lot less fancy, but packed with so much fun.
As mentioned, this does look like a great set, lots of fun to be had.
As a kid, I always wanted this. It came with TWO baseplates and a crane that moved along a monorail. That was pretty cool! ...plus some garages for vehicles?! BONUS!
80s town has so much charm :)
I got this set nearly complete in a haul a month or two ago...pleasant surprise as I didn't know about this set when I ordered the large box of parts that turned out to have most of 40 sets.
Thankfully it was only missing one of the red garage slats as those are pricey. I have subbed a black one until I can get the correct one. It's also missing the spring for the claw grabber...so I'll need to get one of those.
I haven't built it yet, but probably early in 2022 after the holidays when I can get my LEGO room organized.
I miss the simple sets with base plates, 4-wide vehicles with studs and sets with only basic colors...
I think it's funny that there are two vehicles in this set, but the only windshield is attached to something nailed down. Not to imply that it's in any way a bad set, I could have had so much fun with it (especially the crane) as a kid, and probably would have really wanted it if it weren't a little before my time.
@madforLEGO said:
"30 USD? I get that is in 80's dollars, but still what a lot of play value for such a cost.. I wanted this desperately as a kid, and got it finally many many years later in a LEGO lot, but really a fun set!"
And today, it would be a $90 in inflation, though, likely be closer to $60 to 70.
Am I the only one looking at this and wondering what it has to do with “Public Works”? When I hear that, it brings to mind BPW, or “Board of Public Works, which is the utility company where I once lived. They handle electrical service, water supply, and wastewater treatment, but not juggling rocks.
And I’m having trouble justifying the presence of the crane. It picks up rocks from the tipper on the dump truck, slides over on the beam, dumps them in the hopper, which is then used to deposit them back in the dump truck? No wonder government is always trying to raise tax rates if they’re paying people to do that all day...
Baseplate, small vehicles, and that crane-thing is AWESOME. 'A' or 'A+' set. Who knew moving 1x2 white bricks could be so much fun?
This set is awesome because it has so many things that move. Two vehicles, each with something that moves. The crane moves. The garage doors move. Even the windows move. So fun!
Classic Space arrow brick above red door. Nice, but not quite sure why the door would be identified so. Also enjoy the time punch click there.
@PurpleDave I think the crane takes the material stored in the pit area bordered by red pictured at the bottom left, then transfers it to the hopper which deposits it to the dump truck for transport. Kind of like how road sand or salt is meant for winter use but brought in and stored during the warmer months.
I never knew about this set until recent years, but as a kid had noticed the set number hadn’t been allocated to anything in a U.K. catalogue, like 6377, 6391 and 6393.
I kinda want to collect all of these now.
I had this set and had lots of childhood fun! I connected it to Main Street in my city.
Looks a nice set to have owned as a kid. Lots of play options. But I can't remember ever seeing this set in the shops back then.
I've had the pleasure of building this once before - it's a fantastic set with tons of play value. The build accomplishes so much with a relatively simple parts palette.
This set would have fit right in with the Legends line, had it continued, though admittedly a set with such an outwardly bland name to kids as "Public Works Center" probably wouldn't sell well.
I like the way the hopper only appears to be supported on one side! Although it's not clear, there is a string pully block to adjust the length of the string otherwise you would have difficulty reaching the bricks on the ground. Although I'm glad the mini-fig is wearing a hard hat as they are going to be hit on the head each time the crane boom is lowered!
Love sets like these. Mostly just basic elements, hardly any fancy building techniques, but so much play value. And two base plates! This feels like something kids could have come up with themselves. And for a play set, that's a good thing. Only build it once from the instructions, and after that just use it as inspiration for your own creations.
30$ for 2 roadplates (RIP) 4 minifigs, 400+ pieces and a LOT OF FUN? How did TLG don't go out of business?
Ah, the good old days...
Yeah, why not? 6 yo me would die for this!
@pazza_inter said:
"30$ for 2 roadplates (RIP) 4 minifigs, 400+ pieces and a LOT OF FUN? How did TLG don't go out of business?
Ah, the good old days..."
In 1981 dollars though. See the above comments.
According to my calculator that's 91 dollars today. Inflation is a witch!
Must have been some kind of store exclusive as it wasn't in the regular catalog back then. Anyway, awesome set.
Another one here who really wanted this set as a kid. Not sure I ever saw it anywhere but the catalogs though.
Good old sets - and *with* baseplates.
This! is LEGO.
A simpler, happier time.
Along with the cargo center, my favorite set as a kid. Came under the Christmas tree and provided years of fun. Loved those old simple but effective vehicles, the garage doors, and all that movement!
See, sets don't really need to be super-expensive to have a lot of play value!
I would be more than happy to pay $50 (presumably, I think it would be a $49.99 set due to the garage doors, track for the crane, and grabber) for a modern interpretation of this in City.
I’d have had so much fun with this as a kid, I think. Nowadays, in my need to overthink everything, I’d need to know exactly what was going one with the material being moved around, what it was used for, which way it’s going through this process, etc.
What a delightful set. I never had any double-baseplate sets as a kid, though I yearned for some (with Galaxy Explorer / Space Cruiser being at the top of the list, of course). This one certainly appears to have tons of play value.
A wonderful set, I played endlessly with this, as we lived near a gravel yard and saw these type of cranes in action daily. I have most of it somewhere in a bin.
The first LEGO set I can recall having, one of very few in my childhood. So good, though.
It was my first big set as a kid. Still have it with instructions, and still is my favorite town set.