Review:6478 Fire Station/Berrybrick

Acceptable review

Berrybrick
Country: USA     Age Group: Irrelevant   Gender: Male
Joined: February 27, 2010   № of Reviews: 26   № of Featured reviews: 1
Building Experience: Enough is enough

---

So This is what they Mean by Town Jr.

I have never had a lot of money. I have more now than when I bought this set, but I have (or was, now) never able to afford the fire and police stations. So, I bought this on BrickLink a few years back. Looking at BrickLink now, it is selling for even less than when I bought it.

Box/Instructions

I have always found 90's and early 00 box art more attractive than more recently. It is sort of a "je ne sais pas" feeling, but if I had to explain, I would say it overall just feels more fun. I'm only looking at Brickset's images of the box though. I don't think mine had the original packaging, and if it did, I don't recall it.

There are about four different instruction booklets, in the same manner that they appear today. The background is a medium blue. I think it is a little dark, but not a big problem.

Parts

The part selection is actually fairly decent. Other than possibly the road plates, and I doubt that, probably everything has some easy reuse or are at least rare. The blue glass is my favorite, but the fire computer, red trike, and yellow megaphones, among others, are all great. The pieces used are admittingly simplistic though, but that normally makes them better for building.

Minifigures

I really like the faces and the torsos are unique to (countless amounts of) what we have now. I don't think that the figures are worth buying the set for, but they are pretty good.

The Build

Totally forgettable and boring. It is all stacking bricks. No unique techniques or even cliche ones.

The Completed Model

I suppose this is what they mean by Town Jr. I don't recognize that as an official subtheme, but there is no denying that it was an actual era now. I have a different idea of juniorization than others, one that is less drastic, but this is really awful in that sense. Where do I begin?

Though the model at least looks decent, I think, it is awfully simplistic. There is nothing on the inside but a computer with two lights, a spinning chair (they must have gotten a raise in the budget), and a place on the floor for storing equipment (seriously). There is not enough room in the station for all of the equipment, so they store some outside. The dangerous stuff too. Axes and chainsaws. The crime rate might not have been as bad then as now, but that is only asking for robbers to come and offering them arms.

Aside from that, the parking spots don't line up to any road pieces. There will be either

A) A couple bumps before they get onto the road

B) A road leading right into the chainsaws and axes.

The vehicles aren't very good either. The fire trike looks nice, but the idea is kind of naive in my opinion and its cart doesn't look good at all, even if it does have nice pieces.

The firetruck is okay for the time, but compared to what we have now, the only reason I could understand wanting it is for nostalgia of old building styles, even though the 80's and 90's both had more complex ideas and builds.

I feel the same way about the helicopter as the truck.

Summary

Now, this set is awful I think, but I'm going to compile a pros and cons list anyway:

Pros

• Decent Figures
• Cheap on BrickLink now
• Rare and useful parts
• The large gap is good for expansion

Cons

• Overly priced when it was released. 20 cents per piece.
• Roadway problems
• Cheap vehicles
• Cheaper building
• Awfully juniorized

Building Experience: None at all.

1 / 5

Parts: Other than "juniorized" pillars and such, I think that the selection is pretty good.

4 / 5

Playability: It is a fire station with a full crew. Though you would have to imagine the fires, that is also pretty good. No special play features though.

3½ / 5

Minifigures: Also good for the time. Nothing to buy the set for though.

3 / 5

Value for Money: When this set was released, which is what I am going by here, this was $50 for 250 pieces, most of which are juniorized. That is an awful price. And people complain about today's (I'm not saying don't, I won't stop. :P)

2 / 5

Overall: This model does have my recommendation for one thing other than the parts, the very reason I bought it. LEGO's fire stations are expensive now (and then too, but...). Better than this, but expensive. However, due to being so bad, it goes for less than half of the original price on BrickLink now. If you are desperate for a fire station, here you go.

On the other hand, if you have money, just give them it or go without one.

2 / 5