Possible Diorama Buildings...

Ok, so as most of my buddies on here know like AC I'm into Lego, but I'm also happy to explore other brands as well. Not so much for cheaper prices (although that is often a bonus), but because they also make some things that Lego doesn't.

Some time back I came across a range of miniature buildings which are not dissimilar to the Lego 'Modular Building' range, but a much smaller scale - probably closer to the limited edition VIP mini-Modular's they produced some years ago.

These I've found are really cool, sized nicely for train layouts, although possibly better for 'N' gauge/Advance than HO/Tomy, but I think they would work perfectly well with both. There is a wide-range of models available covering all sorts of 'brands' such as McD's, The Colonel, 7-11, and more upmarket brands like Prada etc...

Anyway, the latest ones I've got (and will share pictures of below) are a little more generic in that they are a 'bar', 'apartment', 'museum' and a 'phone/post office store'.

These like the whole range are designed to 'clip' together using bricks with a hole and the normal technic black 'pegs'. This enables you to mix and match and build a street full of various buildings like the heart of a town etc...

But moreover why have I brought these to your attention now? Well quite simply these new ones are also illuminated using a small battery box (takes 3 watch type cells) and a small brick with 3 LED's in it. This not only adds to the attractiveness of the buildings, but also has the possibility of lending these cute little devices to lighting for train carriages!! I'm intending to contact my supplier to see if i can get these seperately from the models

Anyway enough rambling here's some pictures;

The 'Bar' (which is designed to be a corner of a block of buildings as well)

FRONT

REAR (they have interior detail too - you can also see the black connecting peg in the bottom left corner)

Here is the same building illuminated!

Here's a couple of pictures of the lighting unit;

And here's images of the other 3 buildings in this batch;

Phone/Post Office

Museum

Apartment block

[Super]

Those are really cool but the pictures don't show scale much. Could you place a Plarail train or something next to one. They look terrific with the lighting and thats a fantastic idea you have about possibly using them for coach lighting. Maybe with an added external switch it would work out great. Let ud know what your supplier says about buying those lighting units separately. What is the manufacturers name? A really great find Nigels, thanks for sharing this with us.

I should have considered scale Super, here you go with my good old friend Oliver as a reference

[Super]

That looks very close to HO scale certainly not PlaKid scale but then they aren't to scale for Plarail trains. It looks like an HO figure would look good standing at the Museum entrance. May I ask who makes these buildings?

That looks very close to HO scale certainly not PlaKid scale but then they aren't to scale for Plarail trains. It looks like an HO figure would look good standing at the Museum entrance. May I ask who makes these buildings?

It appears to be some brand of bricks that emulates the Lego bricks design, which there are numerous companies that do. I've also seen bricks that light up on their own with no need for an external electrical connection from the brick as the baseplate the bricks are placed upon provides a wireless connection to the bricks above it. Youtube user Jangbricks made a video on them a while back.



Very cool innovation in my opinion; it gives you more freedom with what you build.

[Super]

With a little research I think these may be the Sembo Blocks which looks to be from China. I am not able to find any of the light blocks or any loose blocks other than the complete sets. Hopefully Nigels contact can get them.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/sear...mp=yhs-001

That looks very close to HO scale certainly not PlaKid scale but then they aren't to scale for Plarail trains. It looks like an HO figure would look good standing at the Museum entrance. May I ask who makes these buildings?

The brand is "Sembo" and can be found in the usual places

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It appears to be some brand of bricks that emulates the Lego bricks design, which there are numerous companies that do. I've also seen bricks that light up on their own with no need for an external electrical connection from the brick as the baseplate the bricks are placed upon provides a wireless connection to the bricks above it. Youtube user Jangbricks made a video on them a while back.



Very cool innovation in my opinion; it gives you more freedom with what you build.

Fred,

Those bricks are a 'kickstarter' project, due for delivery around december this year, very cool for sure, but not really as usable in a train as the little modules you get with these buildings


Cheers, Nigel

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With a little research I think these may be the Sembo Blocks which looks to be from China. I am not able to find any of the light blocks or any loose blocks other than the complete sets. Hopefully Nigels contact can get them.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/sear...mp=yhs-001

Unfortunately not from the guy I buy from on eBay, but I'm going to have a look on Alibaba and see if its possible to get them there. If not I don't mind getting some more kits with the LED modules as they are quite reasonably priced

[Super]

Good idea. To bad there isn't a manufacturer Website to contact especially for those who need missing parts. Did you get yours from a China Seller? I think I might buy one just to see how it goes. Do you have all that are made? Thanks Nigels

[Super]

In my looking around I see that not all buildings have lights nor do they come with boxes even though there are pictures of boxes. This must be because they are a pirated type item made in China. Did yours come with boxes Nigels?

In my looking around I see that not all buildings have lights nor do they come with boxes even though there are pictures of boxes. This must be because they are a pirated type item made in China. Did yours come with boxes Nigels?

Hi Super,

Sorry mate been away for a few days break, yes I buy from a chinese dealer and as you say the buildings with LED's are a new innovation so only a few have them currently (on Ali-baba it is about 8 different ones).

So far I don't have anywhere near the entire set, probably around 20'ish different ones in total, mostly unlit hence why I didn't mention them until this LED innovation came along.

As you say mine don't come with boxes, but that is purely the seller saving on shipping costs as it makes the package smaller and lighter.


Cheers, N.

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Oh, I forgot to add these are not pirated, they are original designs, so although you could argue the brick elements are the actual designs are not and the LED unit is definitely something Lego has never done in this form.