Random set of the day: Street Crew
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 542 Street Crew, released during 1979. It's one of 18 Town sets produced that year. It contains 45 pieces and 2 minifigs.
It's owned by 691 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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29 comments on this article
What kind of alien creature is that on that sign? Who looks like that in the LEGO world?
@MCLegoboy said:
"What kind of alien creature is that on that sign? Who looks like that in the LEGO world?"
I think those are aliens from Life on Mars.
@MCLegoboy:
I dunno, but he better get that checked out by a doctor.
Um, guys, something's blocking your shovel's smokestack. Bet you'll be glad when Lego gives that piece an open stud.
Ah yes...spent many a day workin' 'the streets' with 'my crew'...sometimes even got a road built:)
And who doesn't do construction work on a road while wearing a fashionable vest and trousers?
@TheOtherMike said:
"Um, guys, something's blocking your shovel's smokestack. Bet you'll be glad when Lego gives that piece an open stud."
That's his thermos flask keeping warm over the engine!
Pure fantasy: both workers are in fact working.
@MeisterDad said:
"Pure fantasy: both workers are in fact working."
And there's not a pothole in sight!
Happy New Year, Bricksetters! Interesting that this one looks similar, but not identical to 625 from 1978.
@Zordboy:
Actually, in the US, it's become very common to see workers wearing safet...oh, you mean the guy who showed up in a 3-piece suit and shucked the jacket. Yeah. Weird.
@MeisterDad:
No, I've seen them working. But to make this realistic, in scale, they'd need to block off at least one lane from every 20 baseplates for every active worker present. With traffic barrels.
It's nice to see this set type legacy continues with 60385 : Construction Digger this year, which has a suggestion of demolishing some old mossy bricks and planks to put down some brand new solar-powered phone charger seats to go with the times.
But 60219 : Construction Loader wasn't bad either , closer to "Town" scale.
I always liked the little construction sets. I from the 80s. I had several and played with them all the time! I always wanted Public Works, but never got it.
Me: guy on the shovel, hard at work.
My "coworker": guy carrying sign around to trick the boss into thinking hes hard at work as well.
@gorf43:
Carrying? Around here there's sometimes one or two people standing in place, holding up signs on poles that are firmly planted on the ground. Often they're playing on a smartphone instead of paying attention to traffic (which is being driven by people who are potentially also playing on their smartphones).
I really do like these little construction/road repair guy packs that LEGO had, I remember the hours of play value from sets like these.
What a lovely little set. I really like this. I am lucky enough to have that sign piece which is very cool.
Strange Lego stopped making full construction themes after 2009. The set needs 4 minifigures though. One guy working, one guy leaning on a shovel, one guy having 'smokeo' (even though he doesn't even smoke), and one guy in a suit doing...nothing. (these days he'd be talking on a mobile phone).
Also, why is the guy with the shovel shoveling dirt into the bucket of the front end loader?? The whole point of a digging machine is that the machine digs the ground LOL
This means the new year will be a work in progress
This set pairs nicely with 6648-2: Dump Truck. Both were favorites of mine as a child.
Street Crew . . . I have all their CDs.
@sjr60: It still won't do him much good without an opening...
@MCLegoboy said:
"What kind of alien creature is that on that sign? Who looks like that in the LEGO world?"
What, you mean this one:
https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Zeichen_123_-_Baustelle,_StVO_1970.svg
Ah, the long gone days when most of LEGO was modeled after European/German reality instead of American.
6315 is another good example.
Such a way to start 2023 with a 45 year throwback to something from the classic town series. My set is still in its original box with price tag ($3.49). Funny still, I even remember the night I got it while out shopping with my parents. Despite its simplicity, it has fixed many a pothole in my classic town set up over the years. I even drew on one my road plates (remember those?) a fake pothole just for the realism. Unlike the current city sets, the classic town set box art always featured alternative model builds that were just useful as the original model.
@MCLegoboy said:
"What kind of alien creature is that on that sign? Who looks like that in the LEGO world?"
The Man Upstairs
@AustinPowers said:
"Ah, the long gone days when most of LEGO was modeled after European/German reality instead of American."
Very tactfully put! :-)
@AustinPowers said:
"Ah, the long gone days when most of LEGO was modeled after European/German reality instead of American."
So buy more. Retake the crown as the top consumer-nation if you want them to shift their focus back to German tastes. Just know you’ll have to do it spectacular fashion, because their eye is already wandering away from the US in favor of China.
Lego was always ahead of it's time, with self driving diggers playing that old highway game of my shovel is bigger than your shovel.
@PurpleDave said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"Ah, the long gone days when most of LEGO was modeled after European/German reality instead of American."
So buy more. Retake the crown as the top consumer-nation if you want them to shift their focus back to German tastes. Just know you’ll have to do it spectacular fashion, because their eye is already wandering away from the US in favor of China."
No need. We've already accepted that TLG doesn't give a smeg about German tastes anymore. That's exactly why alternative manufacturers have started to blossom over here much more than in other countries and ever more are emerging year after year and gaining traction.
Of all my acquaintances who build with bricks I am the only one who still buys from LEGO now and then. All the others have shifted to different manufacturers.
This is one of the first sets I owned as a child. The stickers are a bit worn, but I still have this one currently displayed. There is such a charming simplicity to the early town sets.