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E402 165 e quattro carrozze di ritorno dopo aver portato le E444 013 e 028 a San Giuseppe di Cairo per la demolizione. A Genova Cornigliano l'11 Giugno 2020.
All the parts in this image were not officially released to the public. I have obtained them through other collectors and resellers. From left to right:
• prototype SNOT plates
• a test print
• a Q-Element
• a Grangemouth test brick
• a Satin-Light blue minifigure
These items have been collected because of a genuine hobbyist interest in, and enthusiasm for, LEGO history, production, engineering and quality control. Finding and understanding these items, is like an ongoing treasure hunt that is shared with a community of like-minded LEGO fans.
The items
Prototype parts
Prototype parts, like the prototype SNOT plates in the photo, are "early models" of part designs. The parts never made it into production in this form. They are generally used to evaluate the part design (for example to evaluate the concept, visual appearance, user-experience testing, ...). The parts are usually discarded afterwards.
The parts that I own have been sold in LEGO's internal shop for employees or have been given away in lots that LEGO donated, for example for promotional purposes.
Test bricks
LEGO required that the chemical companies and manufacturers followed a strict quality control programme using test bricks. They often manufactured other plastic products also. The quality control process that was in place for their work for LEGO, was frequently also applied to their other plastic products. As a result, test bricks can be found in a wide range of materials and colours that were never used by LEGO itself.
Initially, old production moulds were used. These bricks have the LEGO logo on all studs. Later specific test brick moulds were made. Initially, those also had the LEGO logo on all studs. After that, bricks with the letters ABCD with varying stud size were used. Later those were replaced by bricks with the letter C on the studs. These days, several other letters are seen.
Nightshift Grangemouth test bricks
In the late 1970s some employees at Borg-Warner wanted to experiment with some of the excess plastic from the regular LEGO production and used the mould to produce bricks with a "granite effect", like the multicoloured brick in the photo. The bricks they produced were given to children. They did not see this as a problem, because the marbled "granite" bricks could be clearly distinguished from real LEGO products. This might have been done with permission within the factory, or they might have been produced during night shifts, but LEGO was not pleased about it. As the story was told on BrickLink, the bricks were eventually spotted by a LEGO representative and the mould was taken away.
It looks like soon after, the test moulds with LEGO logos were replaced with test moulds without LEGO markings. From now on, if any unofficial products that might not meet all quality standards made their way to the general public, it would be clear that these were not official LEGO products.
Test prints
A lot can go wrong while printing on LEGO parts. That is why LEGO has a quality control process for printing. We find both print alignment calibration parts and parts that are printed on the "wrong" base colour, like the minifigure head in the photo.
We assume that these wrong-coloured parts are usually test prints, made on whatever colour was available in the machine at the time but not on the intended colour. This way, the final print design can be evaluated while any test parts can easily be separated from the later actual production parts. That way, there can be no confusion and only the correct parts can be included into sets. Even with all that care, things can still go wrong. Technology can fail, printers can run out of ink, etc. As a result, incomplete prints or misaligned prints are also found.
These parts used to be very rare, but in recent year many have found their way to resellers. They have been included in charity gifts that LEGO made, and some German resellers that seem to have access to LEGO's leftovers get them.
Q-elements
Q-Elements are parts that are made by LEGO for use in model shops. The model shops can request certain parts in unusual colours when they need them. That is how the transparent dark blue brick in this photo was made. They are intended to be used by these model shops only, and as a result they probably do not have to meet all the strict quality requirements that the parts that are released in sets have to meet. That would explain why transparent parts are available to model shops but not in sets. Leftovers from these model shops are sometimes sold or given away.
Mould test runs
Moulds require maintenance. After a mould has been disassembled, maintained and reassembled, a test is needed to ensure that everything works properly. Traditionally, red and transparent material has been used for these tests because some flaws are more visible using these colours.
Few of these parts have shown up, although the number seems to be increasing. These parts used to be rare, but are not hard to find now (finding a random part is easy, finding a specific part is still nearly impossible).
The parts are still often sold as "rare prototypes" by resellers who wish to increase the price.
"Nightshift minifigures"
Before 2020, only very few transparent minifigures were known to exist. They were probably really part of initial mould testing (looking for hidden flaws in the first parts made in a new mould). These were extremely rare. Also, a red Darth Vader helmet was known. That part was probably also made during a first mould test. It sold for such a high value, that later clone brands made "replica prototype helmets" and sold those on Ebay.
In 2020, several transparent minifigures found their way to online sales platforms. The figures were made with genuine LEGO parts, made in unreleased colours. As far as we could tell, the parts originated in the Mexico factory. They were received with enthusiasm by several collectors who were willing to pay serious amounts of money for them. Soon, more minifigures became available. In order to increase collectability and related value, soon accessories like helmets/headgear and weapons were added to the minifigures. Minifigures related to themes like Star Wars and Batman became available in a wide range of colours. When these figures were first made, I expected LEGO to stop them soon. For some reason, LEGO has not done that or has not been able to. By 2022, the range of colours has increased to include 9 or 10 colours with glitter and 11 colours with satin have been made or announced (including the figure in this photo). Many of those colours were never released with those additions in officially released LEGO products.
Because the quality standards that normally apply to LEGO parts did not fully apply to these figures, deviations could occur. Several transparent parts are already known to crack. There is a good reason why LEGO does not release full-transparent minifigures. The available combination of material and design is not suitable for this application. This is an important quality consideration for LEGO products, but it does not appear to be for these unofficial released parts.
I would guess that these parts are made in small quantities during mould testing after maintenance. That would keep them out of the regular LEGO production lines, and possibly out of strict supervision.
Replicas and clones
Finally, there are replica's and clones, which are parts that were "inspired" by actual LEGO bricks. Made with "Is no fake, is copy"-ethics. For example, we have seen
• Replica stickers or replica prints on genuine (unprinted) LEGO parts, especially for expensive collectible sets
• Replica Plant Leaves 6 x 5 (part 2417) that were made "only in colours that LEGO did not make", until LEGO made some of those colours later...
• Replica train wheel rubber, to replace old parts that have deteriorated over time.
• Custom chromed parts, making it difficult to find the parts that were actually chromed by LEGO
• And finally last year there was a story that Chinese clone bricks were found that used the LEGO logo. As far as I know, this is the first time that suspected clone bricks might actually have used the LEGO logo. Usually, people just think that parts made in another mould version must be fake.
These fake parts often violate the intellectual property rights of LEGO (and franchises like Star Wars when those stickers/prints are copied). For collectors, they can make things very difficult. How to separate genuine or even rare valuable items from cheap knock-offs?
I don't have any of these in my collection, but I would probably be interested in a few of those rumoured Chinese Fake-LEGO-2x4-bricks with LEGO logo...
Reasons to collect
Treasure hunt and the community - It's a fun hobby
People still frequently find items that have never been seen by our community before. Finding them, sharing them online, and engaging the community bring both joy and social interaction with fellow collectors. The new items provide an opportunity to everyone to learn something new and to gain new insights or better understanding.
There is also fun in the chase. Figuring out what is out there and where to find it. Gotta catch 'em all!
And, finally.... Ohhh, Look how beautiful this new brick is!
Understanding history and product design
Through collecting these items, we can learn about LEGO's history. By comparing them, or thinking about why things are the way they are, we can learn about the evolution of technology and ideas. Every brick tells a story, about when and how it was made, about the challenges that had to be overcome or about the people that made and used them.
Conservation of knowledge and unique items
By finding, collecting and conserving items that are otherwise unobtainable and that might otherwise be scrapped and destroyed, we preserve tangible items that tell us the stories behind them in a visible way. When we find these items, we are often also finding the stories relating to these items.
Telling a story
Finally, when the items and their information become available, we can use those to tell a story. We can share what we have found in exhibitions or online, like on this Flickr page. Through these items and their stories, we can help people understand their rich history.
Ethical considerations
Collecting unreleased items?
While collecting, a collector should consider the implications of his or her actions.
We could consider several aspects:
1) Why the parts were made;
2) How the parts became available;
3) Who benefits from them;
4) Confidentiality and conflicts of interest.
Most of these parts were made as part of LEGO's design or quality control processes. They were made by LEGO or by their suppliers because they were needed.
Although the parts were not made to be released to the general public, most parts that do find their way out of the factories seem to do so by legitimate routes. They are, for example, included in sales or donations of leftover parts. There are stories where chemical companies have given test parts to their employees.
In most cases the person who made the parts did not personally benefit from them. The parts were often seen as unusable leftovers that could be donated or as interesting gifts to contacts or people who were involved in their development, or simply as toys for children of employees. Only later, often decades later when these children were grown up or when the employees died, did these parts make it to the secondary market. Resellers make some money by finding and selling these items.
As far as I know, confidentiality and conflicts of interest have not caused any issues yet. Considering confidentiality, we might happen to find information that could (still) be confidential. The basic principle should be that we, as fans of LEGO, do not wish to do any harm to LEGO. As a result, intellectual property and proprietary information should remain confidential. We can, however, share all publicly available information (including when it takes some effort of specialist knowledge to get it) about the items we find and our thoughts about them. Collectors might have personal friendships with people in the professional communities. We can ask for information, but we should respect their professional limits in what they can or cannot share and respect confidentiality when they ask us to remain silent about something.
Stimulation of illegitimate behaviour
In the case of the minifigure, a new situation seems to have occurred. It looks like someone, or probably a small group of people, is actively benefiting from an illegitimate activity. They have discovered the LEGO AFOL collectors market, and have found that serious money can be made by selling "unreleased prototypes", especially of minifigures related to collectable themes like Star Wars or Batman.
We cannot be certain as long as no official statements are made by LEGO, but it seems like these parts are made using LEGO moulds and LEGO materials without proper authorisation and without financial benefits for LEGO. This might be a form of theft, by the employee(s) who used the facilities and materials for personal gain. When buying these items, we might support and stimulate this kind of behaviour.
I consider the "nightshift minifigures" an interesting example of how LEGO employees and LEGO collectors deal with these items. Because of that, I do think that some of these parts have a place in my collection. I do however do not wish to stimulate the production of these figures much. That is why I choose to limit myself to a few parts. I will not buy any for resale or trade. That is just my approach though, every collector will have to make his or her own choices here.
Canada Malting Co. Limited elevator/silo, built 1928 as part of Toronto Harbour, expanded 1944
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Canon EOS 650 SLR + colour slide film - Copied from slide by D3200 DSLR
DSC_4700 Anx2 1400w Q90
A lot of interesting textures in this square, which if I recall is part of a community building at a church in Irvine, California.
"The air is alive with the sound of sweaty manmade materials rubbing together, as middle-aged cyclists fill every road, dressed head to toe in Lycra. They whizz along, jumping red lights, weaving in and out of the path of trucks, screaming at pedestrians and taxi drivers; barely evading death three times a morning. Lycra isn’t just a fabric; it’s a state of mind. At work, these often portly, always angry, red-faced individuals might be mild-mannered middle managers who work in marketing. But in their cycling kit they are superheroes who happen to swear a lot". (Henry Jeffreys, The Spectator, May 2016). Right then, right now.
"spandex", which is an anagram of the word "expands".
Spandex, Lycra, or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is a polyether-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1958 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia, US.
In continental Europe, it is referred to by variants of 'elastane', including élasthanne (France), Elastan (Germany, Sweden), elastano (Spain), elastam (Italy), and elastaan (Netherlands); and in the UK, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand and Israel, it is primarily known as 'Lycra'.
Taken at Janell Concrete & Masonry Equipment Inc. facility in the Blue Ash suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Based on the codes on the tanks, the right one contains diesel fuel while the tight one has gasoline. What I want to know is where the fire extinguisher noted by the arrow on the left is. I don't see it, do you?
You might be asking why anyone would take this shot. Well, there's the symmetry of the scene and the two protective poles are yellow aren't they? Also haven't you always wanted to know what those numbers on the hazardous material signs meant?
Material Circulante: CP 19xx + 8 Uacs (Transfesa) + 4 Rlps
Hora: 09:27
Data: 12-09-2014
Local: Aregos (PK 76 - Linha do Douro)
Serviço: Comboio de Cimento n.º 51323 (Gaia --» Godim)
Material Circulante: Medway 1463 + U (945 2) + 1 His
Hora: 16:01
Data: 25-02-2018
Local: Vale da Bica (PK 158 - Linha do Leste)
Serviço: Comboio n.º 31602 (Elvas --» Entroncamento)
Obs: Transporte do vagão U (945 2 006-8) de Elvas para o Museu Nacional Ferroviário.
This was taken on our trip to Newfoundland. We were thrilled when had the opportunity to watch this awesome puffin gather up fallen feathers for nesting material. They are such great little birds and always so busy. inevitably they brought a smile to my face and it was easy to see why they earned the name "Clowns Of The Sky ".
Wishing you an awesome Day and a very blessed one too !!
I wanna make many different versions of this item. Versions will go from rough new metal to scrapyard metal. Oh, and design skins.
Gathering Nesting Materials
Osprey with a large clump of What I believe must be nesting material at Ocean City, New Jersey
2019_04_25_EOS 7D_3905A_V1
The materials/ingredients which are necessary to make those pandas are white choco-ball ( Japanese chocolate sweets), chocolate condiment pencil and toothpick.
I didn't use the chocolate sprays appearing in the first photo
El Monumento a los Descrubridores (en portugués, Monumento aos Descobrimentos) actual es una réplica del que fuera construido en hierro y cemento en 1940, con motivo de realizarse la Exposición del Mundo Portugués que fue demolido en 1958 y reemplazado por otro en materiales más nobles.
El momento escogido fue la conmemoración de los 500 años del fallecimiento del Infante Don Enrique, conocido como Enrique el Navegante, y la inauguración tuvo lugar en agosto de 1960.
Evocando la expansión marítima de Portugal en el siglo XVI, el monumento se levanta en forma de carabela alcanzando una altura de 52 metros. A ambos lados, el escudo de Portugal destaca en lo alto, mientras que sobre la puerta de entrada está grabada la espada de la dinastía Avis.
La figura central del grupo escultórico conformado por 33 figuras es, evidentemente, la de Enrique el Navegante, que en lo alto de la composición sostiene una carabela mientras parece observar horizontes lejanos. Detrás de él y a cada lado, en dos filas descendentes, se pueden descubrir personajes destacados de la historia portuguesa que directa o indirectamente tuvieron relación con la Era de los Descubrimientos.
Entre las figuras más destacadas se encuentran Afonso V (patrocinador de las primeras expediciones), Vasco da Gama (descubridor de la ruta marítima a las Indias), Pedro Alvarez Cabral (descubridor de Brasil), Fernando de Magallanes (primer navegante en dar la vuelta al mundo), Diogo Cão (el primero en llegar al río Congo), Bartolomeu Dias (primero en dar la vuelta al Cabo de Buena Esperanza), Afonso de Albuquerque (virrey de las Indias Portuguesas), Luis de Camoes (poeta autor de las Lusíadas, relato épico sobre la era de los descubrimientos), el rey Manuel I (figura central de la Edad de Oro) y Pedro Nunes (matemático y cosmógrafo cuyos aportes a la navegación fueron cruciales en la época). La única mujer en el grupo escultórico es la madre de Enrique el Navegante, doña Filipa de Lencastre.
The Memorial to the Descrubridores (in Portuguese, Monument Descobrimentos years) now is a replica of it was made of iron and cement in 1940, during the Exposition of the Portuguese World was demolished in 1958 and replaced by a more noble materials .
The timing was the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry, known as Henry the Navigator, and the inauguration took place in August 1960.
Evoking the maritime expansion of Portugal in the sixteenth century, the monument stands as a caravel reaching a height of 52 meters. On both sides of the shield of Portugal stands out on top, while on the entrance door is carved the sword from the Avis dynasty.
The central figure of the sculptural group made up of 33 figures is, of course, that of Henry the Navigator, that at the top of the composition maintains a caravel while seeming to observe distant horizons. Behind him and on each side, in two rows down, you can discover important figures in Portuguese history that directly or indirectly were related to the Age of Discovery.
Among the most prominent figures are Afonso V (sponsor of the first expeditions), Basque da Gama (who discovered the sea route to India), Pedro Alvarez Cabral (discoverer of Brazil), Fernando de Magallanes (first sailor to circumnavigate the world), Diogo Cão (the first to reach the river Congo), Bartolomeu Dias (first to round the Cape of Good Hope), Afonso de Albuquerque (Portuguese viceroy of the Indies), Luis de Camoes (poet author of the Lusíadas, epic tale about the Age of Discovery), King Manuel I (central figure in the Golden Age) and Pedro Nunes (cosmographer mathematician whose contributions were crucial to navigation in those days). The only woman in the sculpture is the mother of Henry the Navigator, Dona Filipa de Lencastre.
Lovely cucumber and spring onions become the focal point of this picture. Salad vegetables have been a main ingredient of my life since our practice nurse suggested I lost weight to help my health. Today was a milestone for me as after 31 month I reached my target loosing 64lbs in the period. It has been an uphill battle at time but as one incredibly famous cartoon character would say, “Never give up, never surrender.”
Thank you all that has been involved in this process and especially the NHs who set me on this path.
As for the picture it was photographed in Salisbury Square Hertford of the vegetable stall there weekly Friday & Saturday market days.
Its been a rather interesting week! It was my birthday and I got some birthday cards. Took a photo of them for the group but its still on my camera! Then on Thursday I was on my way home and someone crashed into my car....its a right-off! On the whole I'm lucky to be alive but I have ended up with some broken bones in my foot and am in hospital! I was thinking I would have to post my group photo later and then a friend brought me this mag to keep me entertained! Low and behold it is covered in words so fits the theme!!!
Week 42 words/text.
Explore #166 (Thanks people)
64:365 Marwell hall at Marwell Zoo. Went there on Saturday, and decided we WANT a house just like this :-) (plus Aston Martin on the drive of course)
Nothing special about the image, bit of HDR for the sky, and some noise reduction (to rid of the noise the HDR adds), but a hell of lot of cloning. There was a wedding going on, and so quite a few people gathered around that needed to be zapped out of the picture!
It has a history of the paranormal....
o Phantom footsteps have been heard walking the corridors of the 1st floor.
o Objects have been moved in front of peoples eyes in the attic area.
o One of the staff members returned to her locked room to find her belongings scattered all around
o Dark shadows and unexplained reflections in seen in another room.
o The sounds of children have been heard in a corridor
o A figure in a long black cloak seen
o Staff member regularly reported poltergeist activity in her office
if you want a tour: