All Train Sets of the Blue Era (1966 - 1979)
Sets sorted by number
080:
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This train was part of the basic set 080 from 1966 and it is identical with the set 114 push along train. In 080 there is no paper building instruction for this train, but the train is single packed in a box within the 080 box. On this box the instruction is given on one of the longer narrow sides as a black and white print. |
111:
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In 1966 LegoŽ invented their trains. This is the first train set
ever released by LegoŽ. It was numbered as 111.
The set could be motorized by adding set 102: 4.5 V motor with batterie
box. Nearly the same combination was sold as set 115 "Starter Train Set
with Motor" in the same year.
NOTE: the hook couplings exist in two versions: as 2x2plate with eye (or hook) and as 2x4 with eye (or hook). My theory about these is: first there have been possibly all sets with 2x2 couplings (080, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115). Then Lego noticed the problem with bricks falling apart to easily and they invented the more sturdy 2x4 ones and put them at least in the updated 112, 113, etc sets. But possibly some trains have never been produced in a second way... Any input on this topic is welcome! |
112:
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This powerful steam engine was the first motorized engine by LEGOŽ.
It came out with the set number 112
in 1966. With it's hook couplings and the battery box as heavy ballast
on the driven wheels it's LegoŽ's strongest engine ever!
And here comes additionally information (really surprising in my eyes!): a Co-AFOL here in Germany found a sealed 101 set (battery box only). He opened it and out came a blue box with a definitely WHITE bottom part! So even if noone has ever found a 112 (or 111, 113) with any white parts like the motor framing plate, maybe they have existed as well? At least they existed as prototypes for catalogue pictures in the mid-sixties. |
113:
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This is very first motorized train set from 1966. The same blue steam
engine as in set 112 above. The only difference is the missing front coupling
of the 113 engine. Very rare parts
are the printed bricks with 'Hamburg', 'Basel' and 'Genova' and 'Post'.
As now known for sure, there have been 2 versions of the 'Post' bricks: the others have an old-fashioned horn beneath the letters (as given in Clark's gallery of printed bricks). Such a train is to be found in perfect condition in a toy museum in Mechelen/Belgium. (Sidenote: the UK version of the 113 has had 'London', 'Manchester', 'Glasgow' as train destinations and 'Royal Mail' instead of 'Post'.) The 1x2x1 transparent bricks in the picture on the left are probably the only correct version: all 'perfect' 113 models (I have ever heard of) have had the bricks without center cylinder inside. |
114: |
This small and very primitive train has the set number 114.
It's kind of a narrow gauge train. In 2004 Stefan Gustavson from Sweden
published a building instruction (so this paper really exists, which was
doubted for long time). It comes without number, but Stefan still remembers
about getting this train in 1968 (bought at Kastrup International Airport
in Copenhagen/Denmark). Surprisingly the instruction includes written text
in Danish and Finnish language, so it might have been sold only in these
countries. The pictures tell how to motorize this small train and they
show hook couplings with 2x2 studs plate while Stefan's set actually had
2x4-plates.
(=> compare with 080 above for more info). |
115:
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In general very similar to set 111, but this train is motorized ("Starter
Train Set with Motor" 115 from 1966).
It's the only set, which comes with a handheld battery box. But the third
waggon might have been meant to carry the box when the player is tired
to run after his train.... Take a closer look at the cable contacts: they
really have no electrical isolation.
Set 115 has not been available all over Europe. There are some nordish catalogue pictures and there are some vague hints this set might have been sold only in the Netherlands. That would explain its rareness. |
116:
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Starter train set 116 from 1967
was the first black steam engine and has one of the rare high type 4.5
V motors and battery boxes like the ones from set 102 but in black.
(Notice: at least in Belgium the 116 train has been in the catalogue in an updated version with 103 motor, spoked wheels and magnet couplings. Same couple has been in the German catalogue as set 127 but I doubt, it has ever been available here. All sets 127 - I ever have heard of - have been located in the UK.) Additional note on 116: This set has been sold in at least 2 versions: the first as seen above, a second has had spoked wheels, motor and batterie box in set-103-style and as a special highlight this later version has had goldprinted bricks with the number 116 on them (and again of these gold bricks there exist at least 2 version: center 116 print and out of center). For the windows of the passenger coach it seems there have been used both brick types: those 1x2x1 with center cylinder and those without. |
117:
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In 1967 LegoŽ brought out this 117
steam engine without motor which was the first engine in a more realistic
shape and colour.
Note on 117: The 117 has been sold in two versions. First with hook couplings and 4-stud-wheels, later like seen in the picture above). |
118:
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This picture shows number
118 Electronic
Train from 1968. This engine is quite similar to the later 138, but it
uses the characteristic
old type
motor and batteriebox as they were still in use 1968 when this set
was released (but in fact a very special one - the red dot marks where
to attach the red plugs). You can control this train and let it drive forward
and stop again by whistling in a certain high tune. That specific whistle
lies in front of the track. Find out more about that electronic on the
motor
history site.
Note on 118: As all the other sets with the black 102 type motor, the 118 set has been sold as a updated version also. But only in this special case the second version was concerning just the batterie box, which got updated, while the motor left unchanged in the second version. The white microphone got modiefied too: the picture on the left shows the first version, the picture of 138 the later version as also used in 118. |
119:
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One of my favorite sixties sets: The 4.5V Prairie Train
(119 from 1968). I love the design
of the waggons and the engine with its rail guard is great to. A special
piece of this set is the polarity changing switch (sold separately as 157)
underneath the battery box (first type with grey bottom). The engine has
another switch mounted at the downside: it stops the train, when it runs
along a signal with 'trip switch' in 'stop'-position. Two of those signals
where part of the 119 set as well as a point and a level crossing.
Note on 119: First version like seen in the picture above, later with the 103 motor and batterie box and spooked wheels. You will find both building instructions uploaded at brickshelf. The level crossing of 119 has been a special one: it has not the free middle for 12V conductor rails, but is to bbe used with 4.5V track only. |
120:
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This nice little train is from 1969. It has the cute gold printed setnumber (120) on it's side and was called 'Complete freight train set with tipper trucks'. There have been included two of those tipper trucks, but there was the possibility to buy more of them separately as set 125. This was the first set with the 'new' spoke design wheels. |
122:
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This steam locomotive with tender (set 122 from 1970) was the last one wich used a grey motor baseplate. Exept from the gold printed number bricks there is nothing exciting about this model. The design is quite similar to all other engines of this time, only the use of transparent bricks in this amount is a little different. |
123:
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Here is the first LegoŽ passenger coach (set 123 from 1969) which was to buy as a single waggon. It has in difference to engine 727 no stickers, but printed bricks with the 'INT. EUROPE' logo. They are quite rare these days too. |
124:
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First goods-waggon by LegoŽ; numbered as set 124 from 1969. Like many old blue bricks, these ones have also become some stainy, but that gives this model only a more realistic appearence of an used freight waggon. |
125:
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This is the tipper truck from set 125 (1969). It was also used in the train set 120, but has a different colour (here red, in 120 in black) of the 2x4x1 brick above the wheel holders. |
126:
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Another push along steam engine. But in comparison of the earlier 117 and the later 133, this one (set 126 from 1970) has got nice gold printed bricks, like all the other trains from that time too. |
127:
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Train set 127 (1971) is just an updated version of 116. It has magnetic couplings, spoked wheels and the new type of motor and battery box (like from set 103). This set has been sold just in one year and not in every country. As one can find in the brickshelf scan of the belgium catalogue from 1971, the 116 has been still available there in 1971, but with updated spoke wheels etc.... |
128:
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In 1971 there was invented this first primitive crane waggon (128).
It's one of the first waggons with the new one-part-chassis; kind of juniorization
in the early seventies.....
Note on 128:
Another note on the year 1971 changes: it is proven by a opened MISB-sets (Mint In Sealed Box) set, that till at least 1971 all axle pins have been of brass type. Later till the end of the 70ies all sets came with aluminia type axle pins. |
130:
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Set 130: waggon with double tipper from 1972 |
131:
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This was LEGOŽs second attempt of a passenger coach (set 131 from 1972). It's a little similar to the waggons of 119 prairie train, but in a totally different colour scheme. Rarest parts of this set are the red fence doors in 3x1x2 studs. As one can see easiely the waggon in this picture has even it's stickers in good condition..... |
132:
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"Port Crane and Flat Wagon (132)" from 1972. Part of the crane are two transparent sloped bricks in 1x2x1. The printed bricks on this waggon are the same as used in set 124 (see above). |
133:
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The next generation of push along engines: the set 133 from 1975 uses the nice yellow rods. This one has even it's old stickers applied since it's first days then. |
134:
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Another early crane waggon in a couple with a flatbed, the set 134 from 1975. But no printed bricks any longer... |
136:
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Here is the first tanker waggon (set 136, 1975). It was the first in a long line of further shell and later Octan tank waggons. |
137:
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This 137 sleeping car from 1975 seems to be one of the often sold sets of the blue era, since you can find it quite often in eBay auctions. |
138:
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The electronic train 138 from 1969
was a highly expensive train those days, but it has a great feature: it
starts to work when a whistle is blown, but nearly all kind of loud noise
will do the same. Then it starts to drive in one direction, after a second
whistle it stopps again. A long signal makes it drive rearwards and next
makes it stand still again.
A very special part of this rare set is the transparent electronic block, which was sold also as set 139 in combination with the white microphone (here on back of the the tender). The cable with the red plugs is used just in this set (prelimenary set 118 uses similar, but singulary plugs. Only the later original plugs should have the 'Lego' logo visible) The outlets on the electronic block and the microphone have dots in blue and red to mark the right cable assembly. Above you can see the blue point on the white microphone quite well. (But the red dot on the battery box is missing). If you like to learn more about that electronic, please visit the motor history site. |
147:
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Set 147 from 1976: 'Refrigerated Car with Forklift' with two of the armless pre-minifigs. |
152:
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These are the waggon platformes 152 and 153 pulled by the engine 112 (all from 1966). At least the hook couplings of an old sealed 153 set have been in the old 2x2 style - maybe even all sets 153 came with those? |
162:
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Push along diesel locomotive 162 from 1977 with the hard to find black wheels. Only 727 comes with these engine wheels in this amount. 725, 396 and 182 have each 1 single wheel at the front of the boiler. |
163:
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Here is the main model of set 163 (1977): A crane waggon with a small flatbed car. |
163b:
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This is the alternative model of set 163 from 1977 including a tank waggon and the very rare grey tipper waggon. |
164:
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In comparison with the 137 passenger car, this one (set 164 from 1978) seems to be quite rare. That might be because it was the first to come with minifigs and was only sold for two years. With the new grey track and completely new train stuff in 1980 this set wasn't continued. |
166:
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This set seems to be build out of common bricks only, but set 166 Flat Wagon from 1978 (or 1979?) contains the very rare yellow helmet. |
167:
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One out of two sets with a yellow helmet. But even harder to find are the black fence doors from the car transport wagon and loading ramp (set 167 from 1978/79?). |
170:
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Small push along play train 170 from 1972. Original it came without any track. The translated german name of this was 'Fairytale Train'. That might be an explanation for the strange appearance of this thing... |
171:
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From the same year, but somewhat more realistic than the one above: push along train 171 from 1972. |
180:
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This train set 180 from 1972 has had a remarkable advertising in 1974, which I still remember: 'Pulls 20 waggons!' Due to the quite high friction forces of the old waggons I never believed this, but I never made a test to proof it. This set has also a very hard to find part: the fencedor in the backside of the engine (not visible in this picture) is in the seize 1x4x2 and has a bottom part fitting for this seize. The fence door itself is used also in 167, but the bottom part is just saold in this very set. |
181:
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Another early steam engine from 1972 is this set 181, which seems to be the small brother of 180: very similar, but less cars and less hard to find pieces... The locomotive is followed by a red battery car, that is tarned as a closed goods waggon, a small open goods waggon (just the same as used later in 726 Western Train, but in different colour combination) and a red tipper car with break housing. |
182:
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Set 182 (form 1975) is the biggest 4.5 Volt train by LegoŽ. It has a rare black battery car and the long motor baseplate for an 8 wheeled engine. The blue passenger car was sold separately too: as sleeping car 137. |
183:
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This is another very small train of the 4.5 Volt sets. It's numbered as 183 from 1976. I got this by a friend of mine in Sweden as a still sealed in box set! I really had to ask myself, if I could dare to open the box, but finally I did. The engine was the last to buy pre-assembled in it's box. |
The numbers from 720 up have been 12V trains:
720:
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The set 720 from 1969 (my year of birth) was the first 12V powered train by LegoŽ. It has nice printed bricks on each waggon, which can be loosed quite quickly as you know. But here was no danger in loosing parts, because the bricks of this waggons are glued together, since this model was an original show model by the LegoŽ Group. The engine is in top condition, since it was bought later. But it is absolutely identical with the engine from set 721, exept from the brick with the gold printed number on it. |
721:
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Here is a closeup of the single sold 721 engine (from 1969). As said above it was identical to the engine of train set 720 exept from it's brick with goldprinted number. |
722:
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|
723:
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Here one can see the first version of the 723 engine from 1970. This model of a small shunting diesel engine has been sold in two versions also: first with red 8x1x1 studs goldprinted bricks as seen above, later with stickers and with the newer motor baseplate including the magnets. Only this second version has had buffers. |
724:
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Here is the first diesel engine LegoŽ ever released: set 724
from 1972. The train is completed with a tipper and a crane waggon. It
has a very primitive crane with a funny working principle. You have to
turn the crane to let the hook go up and down.
Note on 724: The picture above shows the 724 as I got it, but there is one mistake: the real 724 has always had the glued none-printed doors from the latest generation of the trucks with steering. You can easily recognise this by looking at the door handle, which should be in horizontal direction instead of vertical. |
725:
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Although the 725 train set (from
1974) was the first I ever owned - I won it in a LegoŽ building contest
in 1980 - I really never loved it. When I got it, there have been the new
released (and much cooler) grey trains (like 7740, 7750, 7760) new in the
stores.
Set 725 seems to be the best selling 12V train set from the blue era - quite often to be found in auctions. |
726:
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After a longer time of seeking after this second LegoŽ Western Train (set 726 from 1976) I've got first a not 100% complete one, and finally another one complete and including all stickers! In comparison to the 119 Prairie Train this one is a little too shrill, but with the pre-minifig cowboys it's a nice train especially for an open air track layout. |
727:
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This is the set 727 from 1977, but if it is a diesel or an electric engine, that's the question. I tend to call it diesel. It was the latest release of an engine in the blue era which ended 1979. |
More old train sets like 146 Level Crossing, 148 Central Station or Shell refueling station 149 can be found separately under the section 'Train Buildings'.
How the development went on: Grey Era from 1980 - 1990.
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Last updated: may - 31st - 2004
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