Idea Book 260: Part II

[architect]

This is the final installment of our article about Idea Book 260 Castle creations. Check out the Black Monarch's Fortress and a wide variety of Forestmen models. The models have been built to the best of our ability using the Idea Book photos. We would like to thank Johannes Koehler for building the Forestmen's Forge which is shown below.

http://www.classic-castle.com/sets/articles/ideabook260b.html

Discuss your opinions of these creations!

[Formendacil]

Ah.... nostalgia. I have some very good memories of this Idea Book... Not that I owned it, that was my brother...

Although, since I came after the era of Legoland Castle, it did the dishonourable task of making me confused as to whether Black Falcons were the same as Black Knights or not. For many years I assumed that they were the same.

My favourite of these is quite probably the forge, although the lookout tower and the the Falcon-Monarch's castle are close seconds. Any of them beats today's sets, and still more their alternate models (when they have any), hands down.

Sigh.... nostalgia....

[tanzirian]

Great job as usual, particularly on the castle and tree tower...they were not very clearly visible on brickshelf.

The castle certainly isn't as refined as 6085, but looks like it would be fun for kids. Gets an 8/10 from me.

This picture isn't the only instance where the dragon and falcon knights are fighting together. Recall that 1989 catalog where the forestmen are attacking a long wall made up of 6085 and 6074...probably my all time favorite castle catalog picture. The threat from those tree huggers probably forced the dragons and black birds to cooperate.

Continuing with the reviews...

6054 is definitely better than this tree tower. 6/10

The lookout and forge are both great. 9-10/10.

The cart is not bad, but nothing to shout about either. 7/10.

[lemon_squeezer2]

These are the best of the bunch in my opinion. Back then, with only a few sets, one could make something that could even come close to looking like an offical Lego set. Nowdays, it is hard to be creative. Lego insists on forcing big premolds and set with almost no basic bricks down our throats

As I said, these alternative models are great. I like the Black Knight's castle, and I find it especially ironic that the Black Falcons are with the Black knights as I scan the Roleplay threads. That brings back another thought - the storylines that the Lego group forces in nearly every theme. Intead of letting kids have options, you are confronted with the "good" guys and the "bad" guys. Back then you could pick what faction you liked and play with it. There were no predetermined things back then. The Lego group gave us good pieces and figures and encouraged us to use our imaginations.

Now, all of this has been said before, but that is what I started thinking as I looked at these structures.

[jwcbigdog]

I really like the whole group, but my top favorites have to be the forge and the Black Monarch Fortress (I really like the black and gray combination). I always loved the alternate models that were included in these books and on the boxes and would try to make them all the time as a kid. Some were even better than the set itself in my personal opinion. As far as Monarchs and Falcons together, I would do that all the time in my sets, but I only had a handful of each to fight against the forestmen, so it only made sense to combine.

Great job guys!!

[lil Jon]

I like these! Forestmen are awesome. They should have had more sets.

[Wilod King]

I'm moving on up. Only my second post. I am sorely dissapointed that in my youth (born in '80) I was not collecting castle. I missed all of these really great sets. Although now I am employed and can finally get them. It's a pitty that TLC has fallen of the wagon. I agree with others that it is gratifying to be able to take what you have and create with your sets amassed more creative "sets". It is a great blessing to have a group and web site dedicated to creativity and celebration in Lego castle, and where I can catch up on the lost oppertunity of my youth. It's a pitty I was lost in space! I too would have liked to have seen more sets for the forestmen and crusaders. I only had one set with crusaders, Battering Ram I think and I lost or traded off the crusaders. Thank you for taking the time and effort to assemble and picture these sets. I'm finding that I may not actually have them all, but I can build them from what I do.