Review: 10308 Holiday Main Street
Posted by CapnRex101,
LEGO launched the Winter Village Collection in 2009 and the series has remained impressively cohesive, exhibiting a similar architectural style between models. The attractive 10308 Holiday Main Street therefore maintains those familiar features, mostly.
However, the proportions of these shops differ from previous Winter Village buildings, as they appear shallower than expected and omit the interesting architectural features found elsewhere. The tram and accompanying models look superb though, perhaps balancing these unremarkable buildings within a harmonious scene.
Summary
10308 Holiday Main Street, 1,514 pieces.
£89.99 / $99.99 / €99.99 | 5.9p/6.6c/6.6c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Despite seeming unfocused, this Winter Village set maintains the charm of its precursors
- Wonderful old-fashioned style
- Some lovely architecture
- Authentic tram design
- Shallow and simple buildings
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Box and Contents
The packaging for Winter Village sets has been consistently dark, so their transition to the 18+ branding was quite smooth. I like the gentle snowfall in the background, returning from previous sets. Unusually, this set actually has different names depending on the region, titled Christmas High Street in Europe and Australia, but the standard Holiday Main Street appears on the box worldwide.
Opening the box reveals eleven bags, numbered between one and seven. There are also four separate instruction manuals and the packaging highlights the option to build in a group, which is always welcome. The sticker sheet, on the other hand, is larger than I had imagined. Stickers have appeared in several Winter Village sets, but none have required as many as fourteen.
Minifigures
Six minifigures are included, the first of whom is the tram conductor. This character is perfectly dressed in a traditional dark blue uniform, incorporating the same torso as the lighthouse keeper from 21335 Motorised Lighthouse. His pocket watch looks excellent and I like the moustachioed head too, which seems somehow appropriate for a tram conductor in the Winter Village!
Our second minifigure owns the toy shop and her knitted jumper is equally uncommon, returning from 60335 Train Station. Once again, the design seems absolutely perfect for this wintry setting and the proprietor of the music shop also conveys wonderful character. The shirt and dark blue suspenders look superb and I think this hair component matches the bearded head perfectly.
Three civilians are also provided to populate the shopping street, making continued use of some rarely-seen pieces. The green jumper, for example, has only appeared in 60330 Hospital before now, while the minifigure's combined hair and hat component returns from the recent Horse and Groom Collectable Minifigure.
Moreover, the second minifigure's pink jumper originates from 60336 Freight Train and the boy's jacket is available in just two other sets! Exclusive pieces are much-appreciated, of course, but appropriate use of existing parts can be equally satisfying and these minifigures are an excellent example. Each character suits the Winter Village subtheme nicely, given their warm clothing and avoidance of overtly modern designs.
These minifigures also feature double-sided heads with a superb variety of happy and surprised expressions, unlike the conductor and business owners above. Several accessories are present as well, including colourful bags of shopping and a printed envelope, which probably contains a letter for Santa.
The Completed Model
Christmas trees have appeared in almost every Winter Village set and the designers continue to find new methods of building them! This version measures 12cm in height and looks lovely, with realistic texture and an appealing blend of dark green and green parts. The trans-yellow star on top looks good and I like the golden star decorations too. Even so, the rendition from 10275 Elf Club House remains my favourite LEGO Christmas tree.
The simple tram stop also seems reminiscent of models from past Winter Village sets, including the fence outside 10293 Santa's Visit. The snowy base looks nice and I like how the railings are heaped with snow, but the repeated use of 1x1 tooth plates looks slightly strange. Moreover, the red post box provides some welcome colour.
However, the ornate clock tower and sign are undoubtedly more impressive. Printed clock faces are connected on four sides and stand out against the black support, which is presumably intended to resemble wrought iron. Green leaves with red flowers introduce another splash of vibrancy and similar seasonal decorations are found throughout the set.
Winter Village sets frequently contain vehicles, although this tram is unique. The model certainly embraces the antiquated style associated with this series and looks beautiful, with a traditional red, tan and white colour scheme, punctuated by the green wreaths on the front and back. I love the wooden window frames in particular, complementing the bench inside.
The proportions of the tram are reasonably authentic too. This vehicle measures 17cm in length and would fit comfortably on standard LEGO railway track, although none is included. The short length would also enable this tram to pass smoothly around corners, even though its bogies are static. However, the wheels roll equally well without any tracks for guidance.
4x4 round plates form wreaths on the front and back, encircling the headlights and making great use of dark green 1x1 quarter circle tiles for texture. These trans-clear and trans-red 1x1 round tiles can actually be illuminated using Powered Up because Technic plates are used behind both lights, leaving space for the lighting elements to slide through.
The large opening at the front appears most reminiscent of San Francisco trams, which would not necessarily be expected for the chilly Winter Village. This does provide easy access to place minifigures inside though and I love the double-sided bench, with its backrest cleverly connected using clips.
Four minifigures can sit on this bench and there is space for several more to stand, accessible by removing the roof. The red brackets along both walls resemble bench seating and you could perch a few minifigures along here, although these would struggle to accommodate bigger hair elements. There is also an adjustable control handle for the conductor, immediately behind the bench.
Beyond the aforementioned lights, you can also motorise the tram by removing a section of the wheelbase and replacing this with the standard train motor. Unfortunately, I lack the components to present that motorisation here, but official images show how the battery box nestles between the red brackets, which is quite successful given the tram's modest size.
Stickered advertisements are displayed on either side of the vehicle, promoting the two included shops. Their traditional style is appealing and I like the white bars on the exterior, for minifigures to grip. Two more stickers identify the tram's destination and the rear platform is enclosed using black lattices, which can be removed if you prefer.
Buildings across the Winter Village series have traditionally included steep roofs and distinctive external features, such as bay and dormer windows. This toy shop seems remarkably plain by comparison and somewhat resembles designs from LEGO City, although its architecture is more attractive. However, this building reaches a height of 19cm, which is consistent with past Winter Village sets.
Furthermore, I love the chosen colours of dark green, dark red and olive green, especially since olive green does not appear elsewhere in the series. The use of different tiles, ingots and studs across the facade is effective as well, giving the impression of subtle detail. The recessed door also looks superb, while 1x2 rounded plates comprise a stunning decorative garland.
Even though the structure is fairly flat, I like the tiled patterns above the windows and the ornate carvings beneath the roof. Moreover, the snow overhanging the roof looks fantastic, with wedge plates positioned where the snow is deepest. The dark azure bird on the windowsill is another delightful addition, beside a stickered sign above the entrance.
While the exterior looks reasonable, turning the model around reveals its exceptionally shallow interior. The toys displayed in the windows and on some wooden shelves look nice, but space is very limited because the building is only six studs deep. Also, I think producing another toy shop seems strange because the elegant 10249 Winter Village Toy Shop was available as recently as 2017.
Space is also at a premium on the first floor, although the designer has made creative use of the available space. The colourful bed and rug look splendid and I like the bedside cabinet, with a Christmas list beside the lamp. Another little Christmas tree is also included and employs similar building techniques to the outdoor tree, albeit substantially scaled down.
The second shop is my favourite, despite lacking the vibrant colours of the toy shop and actually being even shallower. Musical instruments are sold here and the medium nougat brickwork looks excellent, in combination with dark blue highlights and red awnings. Additionally, I like the sloping roof, which increases the height of this model to 22cm.
Again, leaves and red flowers are placed underneath the window, with a white guitar and a violin displayed inside. Both instruments have appeared a couple of times before, but are sufficiently scarce to be interesting. The light bluish grey columns framing the window and door look great too, while stacked pearl silver candles create a realistic drainpipe
The sign over the entrance embraces the festive theming, as the proprietor is apparently named H. Jollie, presumably with the first name Holly! Snow has accumulated in a band beside the sign and on the roof, partially obscuring the alternating tiles and studs underneath. Technic pins are used to secure the angled roof and I wish those had been concealed, although they are not very conspicuous on the sides.
As mentioned already, the music store is extremely shallow, which leaves very limited space for furniture or accessories. Nevertheless, several instruments are provided and I like the stickered poster beside the entrance, as well as the old-fashioned cash register. I do wonder what a larger shop might have achieved though, matching the proportions of 10216 Winter Village Bakery or 10222 Winter Village Post Office.
Despite the limited floor area, the designer has managed to accommodate a brick-built drum kit and drumsticks in their own pearl silver container, represented by wands. This drum kit is quite simple, but includes the requisite detail for its size. Moreover, a newspaper clipping is displayed on the wall, featuring the shop owner playing his guitar.
Three large windows give little opportunity for large furnishings on the upper floor, other than an efficient kitchen area. An oven and two functioning cupboards are included and the designer has even found enough space for a tiny worktop, with a printed element from 21165 The Bee Farm forming a tiled pattern behind the sand green teapot.
I appreciate the repetition of sand blue in here, between the kitchen cupboards and these dining chairs. Both chairs are mounted on turntables, with a narrow table between them. Once again, I am pleased with the level of detail here, making maximum use of the few available studs. 10267 Gingerbread House appears in a photograph on the wall, interrupting an otherwise monochrome surface.
Overall
10308 Holiday Main Street takes an unusual approach to the established Winter Village, dividing attention across several large models. Personally, I prefer greater focus on a single subject and I think replacing the toy shop with an improved music store would have been perfect, although opinions might differ on that topic. Regardless, these two buildings seem shallow beside others from the series.
However, I was pleasantly surprised by their character, which is consistent with existing Winter Village models. The tram is perhaps even better, including beautiful detail and fitting seamlessly among other vehicles around this idyllic village. In addition, I think the price of £89.99, $99.99 or €99.99 is very reasonable, so 10308 Holiday Main Street has exceeded my expectations.
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63 comments on this article
I am so gutted I waited so long to get the Christmas train I ended up missing out, have been waiting for a new one to come out and this looks great for that reason alone to me! My order with Lego is delayed but I can’t wait to have this set up around the tree this year!
Great review! I agree that perhaps a more detailed music store may have been preferable, but that might be only because I have a toy store already. I wonder if the shallower buildings were a nod to the desire to remain at a <$100 price point.
The mustachioed conductor reminds me of the classic Station Master figure (and his alter ego, the Super Station Master) from Lego Loco 5701 and 2585.
The tram alone made me buy two boxes of this set, one to be fully built, and one to add an extra tram to my winter village while the remaining parts will go to other projects. It's a great addition to the theme, especially since I missed out on the train.
The tram and tree are fantastic. These two make the whole set attractive. Also, reason enough of a purchase. I don't own any Winter Village set, but I think this is a worthy addition.
Is a 4 brick interior depth the new normal now?
How long before it is 3? Then 2?
Will we end up with flat facades like you see in the western movies with nothing behind them?
"These minifigures also feature double-sided heads with a superb variety of happy and surprised expressions"
To me, it looks more like they're singing - perhaps singing carols around the tree?
A good review though, not a set I'd get but an enjoyable read. I wonder if the roof assembly pieces (1x2 with hole, black pins) would have been better replaced with the 1x2 grey tile with the pin sticking out (I don't know the part number). It would have had the same effect functionally and would have looked better.
The only reason for the shallow interior I could think of is they want to keep the piece count and price in check, which seems strange. This is already the biggest winter set so far in terms of piece count. If they make a deeper, it would be close to 2000 pieces and probably closer to $150. But seeing the recent trend of upsizing and increase in prices, it is surprising they didn't do that. Anyway, nice to see a nice looking tram in this style, which seems like a first.
I can't believe people are complaining that it's too cheap! :-)
@HAL_9001 said:
"The mustachioed conductor reminds me of the classic Station Master figure (and his alter ego, the Super Station Master) from Lego Loco 5701 and 2585."
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who remembers him and thought of that! Lego Loco was my JAM back in the day!!
@Huw said:
"I can't believe people are complaining that it's too cheap! :-)"
@Huw the review is missing a bit. When discussing the first three figures, the music shop owner's outfit description seems cut off. Just so you know!
The tram is a no brainer, and complements the winter train as each has its own use.
I don't see any problem with the house design being 2D. Personally my plan is to put it on top of the fireplace (or any shelf for that matter) having the houses against the wall, and have the tram run in front of them with a "city street". Will add the harry potter village to that. If you have a table display, you csn just use these a back layer.
I LOVE the price point. It's amazing that there's so much charm and holiday spirit in it, and easier to acquire a second set for a longer tram down the road.
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Huw said:
"I can't believe people are complaining that it's too cheap! :-)"
@Huw the review is missing a bit. When discussing the first three figures, the music shop owner's outfit description seems cut off. Just so you know!"
Corrected, thank you.
I am a big fan of the theme, but I found these sets very disappointing compared to all the great ones I own (whole chalets, train station, houses, elf club, stores etc). These new ones are just facades, not worth it at all. Hard pass.
As a clarifying point, it's advertised as a tram, but it's more closely related to a cable car; for example, the lack of a trolley pole, and the elevated floor for the cable gripping mechanism.
But that's just pedantics.
A well-balanced set. Also my first winter village set - bought it for the tram to nicely complement my train collection as a LEGO train aficionado.
I think this is a nice change of style from previous WV sets. Got one on day 1 and will probably get another to bulk out the buildings and maybe lengthen the tram a bit.
The only minor criticism is that if they decided to refer to the set differently in Europe and Australia it might have been nice if the sheet had alternate Main St. and High St. stickers.
@Huw said:
"I can't believe people are complaining that it's too cheap! :-)"
Come on... you wouldn't believe it if they didn't!
@Huw said:
"I can't believe people are complaining that it's too cheap! :-)"
Yeah, cause its not.. I guess people have just been beaten down by LEGO's price increases and inflation to start seeing such as set as 'cheap'. I think if this set comes out as is a few years ago, its about 79.99 USD, at most OR if at 99.99 USD you see a lot more in the building depth, or a few extra figures, or something.
I have all the WV series, and I honestly think this is the weakest of the lot. A larger, stand-alone music shop would have been better. Perhaps with a choir outside - we haven't had a bandstand since the early days of the series!
Good review, good set! I really like the cable car, wish that was a set on its own. But both buildings are good too, despite lacking depth. I could have done without the tree and had rather seen the parts budget for that used in the buildings, but I get why that wasn't an option. It is one of those sets though that make me wonder where all of the parts went, the end result doesn't look like 1500 pieces to me. As a result I feel the price is just fine. Not as amazing as the ppp might suggest, but compared to many other recent sets certainly not bad either. My problem with it is that I'm only really interested in the cable car, but if I can find it at a nice discount I might get it just for that...
Nice review. I already have the set built and I have to say this is definitely one of my favourites of the Winter Village sets. I have all but two of the WV set (didn't care for the fire station and market sets) and display them around the Christmas tree every year (getting a bit full but they still fit). As I display them only, I really don't mind the shallow depth of the building if you are able to display them against a wall of something. Also, I think shallower buildings can be great for playability when the ceilings/floors are not removable. The buildings look beautiful, and of course I love the tram. Already can't wait for Winter Village 2023 - hoping for Christmassy decorated winter village park, similar to 80109.
Good review and I think the set is pretty good. Not my favorite from the theme, but not my least…though I don’t think it’s that cheap.
A hundred is a hundred and that’s some serious cash no matter what you’re spending it on, especially right now. Feels like it, anyway. Not sure why this inflation period has felt so much more potent than all the others I’ve lived through. Food for thought and totally unrelated to LEGO, sorry. :)
I would not be surprised if this is the start of a series of mainstreet buildings
@CapnRex101 wrote:
"San Francisco trams"
Those are cable cars in San Francisco. "Tram" vs "Trolley" difference in international terminology aside, the SF vehicles are distinctly "cable cars" by definition because they're pulled by a cable under the street and have no self propulsion of any kind.
Why is the euro price tagged as “DE:” in the summary? I’ve noticed it in more than review.
@mrzeon said:
"Why is the euro price tagged as “DE:” in the summary? I’ve noticed it in more than review. "
Because the price varies across the Eurozone. Germany is usually the cheapest.
The depth of these buildings will work great for a backdrop for my Winter Village, so I don't mind them being shallower than the other sets. The toy store olive green section looks rather plain compared to previous buildings in this series, hopefully it will look better in person. I do like the snow and the detailed interiors they are done well. Love the tram. A new mode of transportation for my village. It is great that it can also be used as a train.
@MGDawson said:
"As a clarifying point, it's advertised as a tram, but it's more closely related to a cable car; for example, the lack of a trolley pole, and the elevated floor for the cable gripping mechanism.
But that's just pedantics."
Could be a conduit tram :-)
@kolaxanthe said:
"Already can't wait for Winter Village 2023 - hoping for Christmassy decorated winter village park, similar to 80109."
We've got 80109 on the way and plan on modding it to fit into our Winter Village setup! I think it's going to work quite nicely.
Wearing dark blue suspenders!!!?
Oh, braces :-D
The trolley/tram is very, very nice along with the tree and stop.
As we’ve already had a Winter Toy Shop, I would’ve liked to have seen the pieces from the Toy Shop used to make the Music Shop a little bigger and more detailed - I could just imagine something with the footprint of the previous Winter Shops and a nice brick built grand piano for sale.
Is this the first Winter Village set without a light brick?
I have the 10249 Winter Village Toy Shop, so I am planning to turn the toy shop into a bakery.
I don't have 10249, the only WV set I have is 10245, so I don't mind the redundancy. (I bought it for the whole family, not just myself, anyway.) I love the use of the tile from 21165, I love it when they find ways to re-use Minecraft pieces in non-Minecraft sets. (The use of a tile from 21151 in 41667 was particularly appropriate.)
@chronoso said:
"Is this the first Winter Village set without a light brick?"
No. As it was discussed in the comments when this set was first announced, there have been many others without a light brick.
As a wind player, I've come across many "music stores" that were really just guitar stores. Nice to see a proper one--and it even has a saxophone! Agree with the take on this one--the shops are a bit sparse. I'm not so sure this set offers a whole lot beyond what we already have in previous WV sets. I'm a year behind on WV sets as is (building 10293 Santa's Visit this year), so I suppose I have another year to decide if I really want this one.
I placed these 2 buildings on opposite sides of the Square in my Village. I have built back walls to close the buildings in matching colours. It was fun and now they don't look so fiat anymore . Dont conplain, do it yourself. It is Lego!
The tram conductor's watch and the big clock don't match. Different times. That will cause problems!
@chronoso said:
"Is this the first Winter Village set without a light brick?"
No, but they currently don't have enough supply of lightbricks since they need all of the available ones for the massive amount of UCS Hulkbusters they are going to sell ;-)
I have all the Winter Village sets, including this one, but I'm quite disappointed in it.
This set with it's shallow depth and basic design doesn't fit in well with the existing WV in my opinion. Hardly an Icons set!
I really hope Lego don't continue down this path for future WV sets or I might stop collecting them.
I would have preferred a single larger building with a more complex design like previous sets.
Winter Village buildings also shouldn't have flat roofs. How is the snow meant to fall off? They've now repeated the mistake made by the WV Fire Station.
Also where is the Light Brick?
This is is now the 3rd WV set with a Toy store. There are so many different buildings the WV still needs, so it shows a lack of imagination from Lego. Here are some ideas for them:
Village: Windmill, barn / farm house, inn, Christmas tree shop, clock tower, B&B, theatre, cafe, Town Hall Winter Ball, a house that has gone overboard with Christmas decorations.
Fantasy: Christmas magical forest, elf school, reindeer stables, Jack Frost home, North Pole mail room, large toy factory, candy shop, the Grinch home.
Hope not! I really don't like the shallow buildings with their basic design.
@Brendan_H said:
"Winter Village buildings also shouldn't have flat roofs. How is the snow meant to fall off? "
You either wait till it melts or you shovel it off the roof.
I think the building design goes pretty well together with the Fire Station and the tram is a nice and original addition to the WV theme, I like it!
I had not realized we were only getting facades and not actual builidings. This set now reminds me of the bad Star Trek sets. FYI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUgIVEtVDaw&t=120s
Count me as one of the few that doesn't mind the shallower buildings. Don't get me wrong, I loved the style of Santa's Visit 10293; however, our layout is rapidly running out of room. Similar to model railroading, having shallower buildings like this add depth to the scene without taking up a huge amount of space. Is it shallower than some of the other WV sets? Sure, but it's not far off from the Winter Village Station 10259.
I also prefer the set without the light brick. If I am going to have any lighting effects, they'll be add on kits anyway, as trying to activate the light bricks is too much of a challenge once your display gets to be a certain size. Also one less thing that needs batteries. Someone really need one? I have a few I'd be happy to part with.
My gripes, all relatively minor (some admittingly in the petty/picky category)... certainly not make or break items:
- Hate the fact that the clock face they used for the outdoor display has second hands (yes, I get how petty this sounds). Not saying that they don't exist, but all the street clocks I've encountered don't have a second hand (really any clock on the exterior of a building).
- Why two gongs on the trolley? Symmetry? I've only ever seen them with one, especially one that's this small (easy fix).
- Wish the trolley ends would have been a bit more curved
"Winter Village buildings also shouldn't have flat roofs. How is the snow meant to fall off?"
Maybe according to you. There are MANY buildings in snow country with flat roofs. The WV fire station was not a mistake by any means...it adds diversity and realism to the line, IMO. Snow melts no matter how the roof is designed. Some are more efficient than others, but that doesn't make them "wrong."
I actually love this set and appreciate the shallow buildings allow for an expanded scene. The designer did a remarkable job providing enough detail, while creating a fairly substantial vignette. I like the commercial block-style buildings as well for something different.
For a village display visible on all sides, I can see the issue with open-backed structures, however I’m pretty sure most of the previous sets have also had open backs, even if the buildings are deeper. As long as full roofs are present, I’m ok with open backs.
This may be one of my favorite sets. The buildings look great! Yes, they are a bit shallow, but for the play value it seems to work okay. I may have to try my hand at supersizing them into Modular scale.
I was surprised it wasn't more expensive, judging by past sets; that's not to say this one is a particular bargain though. And it looks quite a bit more 'town' than 'village'! That said, it does look great and I do like the tram. I assume that when you fit a train motor, you only actually fit wheels to one powered axle?
One thing I do dislike though, and it seems to occur quite often with Christmas trees, is when wings or half-wedge plates are provided in one sided type without the matching opposite piece appearing in the set. It hugely limits the chance to re-use those parts for something else. I don't think the rotational repetition makes for a convincing tree anyway; spruce trees don't grow in spirals.
@DaBigE said:
"I also prefer the set without the light brick. If I am going to have any lighting effects, they'll be add on kits anyway, as trying to activate the light bricks is too much of a challenge once your display gets to be a certain size. Also one less thing that needs batteries. Someone really need one? I have a few I'd be happy to part with."
I'm with you on the light brick issue - Not a fan! When I put the sets away after Christmas, I never leave the batteries in for fear of corrosion (and it has happened on a couple of my sets), and so ever since the first WV Toy Shop every year, I remove the batteries and come Christmas again it's time to unscrew the light brick and put the batteries in again. And for what? So I can press the light once and then never again when its displayed. I stopped bothering with the batteries a few years ago, and so a new set without a light brick - I'm happy.
I agree with the buildings being too thin, but the set as a whole looks absolutely lovely. I'm seriously considering buying this set.
The set is sitting in my cupboard and I'm excited to get to this! What time of year am I allowed to setup my winter village?
@SDlgo9 said:
" @MGDawson said:
"As a clarifying point, it's advertised as a tram, but it's more closely related to a cable car; for example, the lack of a trolley pole, and the elevated floor for the cable gripping mechanism."
Could be a conduit tram :-)"
No, it can't. This model isn't merely "reminiscent" of San Francisco. It has a cable grip. This is a near-exact copy of San Francisco cable cars (not "trams"), both a technology and a car design found nowhere else in the world. You can read the comments I left on the reveal article for more detail.
I'm fine with the size of the buildings. Last year's house is too big in my opinion (though I did get it). So, I wouldn't want either building to be much bigger, maybe no more than a couple studs deeper. I loved the size of the original few, before the size and price went up. These, while shallow, are a closer match to the original few, at least based on the pictures.
I am still perplexed why they dont use 8x16 plate as a propper rooms its such better idea
i was very meh about this set, so i went to the lego store to go look at it. I think that its a decent set and itll have a nice place in the WV display. The shallow buildings are ok in this case, i can set it up so theyre in the back and the whole scene will have some depth that way.
For me, my lukewarm opinion of the set is mostly a reflection of my feelings that the past 3 WV sets have been absolutely outstanding. Packed full of detail, gorgeous buildings, super fun interesting builds. This years set doesnt compare well at all in my mind, but it does fit very well with the past WV sets (pre gingerbread).
I did end up picking it up and im happy that i did. It will really add to the scene, and in isolation its a good set.
I was desperately waiting for the review of that, and even held back my LEGO order till now (missing the nice VIP option early October). The review kind of confirms my worries, and I’m still not sure that I go for this set. The housefronts look a little like the Creator bicycle shop style (so I could just add some snow and christmas deco on the bicycle shop). Still not sure I will get that set, or at least I wait for the local shops 20% reduction. I’m also not sure if I want a tram on top of a train running through the winter village…
No light brick?
Seems to be the weakest of the WV sets but I still went and got it cos I'm a slave to the WV sets...
I love this year's entry into the Winter Village line.
It is charming and atmospheric.
The small houses don't bother me whatsoever. Less is more.
A bit odd that the shallowness of the houses is considered such an issue here while no one is bothered by them in similar sets like 76388 or 10259.
@Watsonite said:
"I love this year's entry into the Winter Village line.
It is charming and atmospheric.
The small houses don't bother me whatsoever. Less is more.
A bit odd that the shallowness of the houses is considered such an issue here while no one is bothered by them in similar sets like 76388 or 10259."
i think that people did notice that in both cases. I certainly did, and if i remember right, the Brickset review of the WV station mentioned that it felt small inside.
I welcome the more shallow builds. I've collected the whole series thus far, and the larger sets take up a fair bit of space, especially when displayed on a bookshelf as I do. A more shallow build makes these easier to display and store.
@Reinier said:
"The tram conductor's watch and the big clock don't match. Different times. That will cause problems!"
He has a watch that tells hims whether he's early, late, or on, time, like Tom Hanks's character from the Polar Express. He certainly looks like him.
I also prefer the smaller building size--including their shallowness. IMO the Winter Village Cottage 10229-1 was too *large* to match its predecessors, and many of the other sets in the series are scaled to match the "cottage," not the stores that first defined the series. I'm very happy with this set and intend to add it to my collection!
I am sick of people complaining about the depth. Look at the WV bakery, post office and toy store there is barely room to pose figures never mind play. I think these buildings complement the fire station nicely; as a person who has lived in a city all my life the cottage like buildings of the previous sets seem out of place to me.