Author Topic: 4048 - Road Roller  (Read 9718 times)

Offline flatcat

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4048 - Road Roller
« on: June 04, 2010, 17:29:27 »
Hello playmofriends,

Finally caught up with purchasing the last sets in the construction theme which I have been meaning to buy for ages.

Here goes my first proper review of a current Playmobil product, that as far as I am aware, is one of the few items from this current construction theme which hasn't yet been reviewed, along with the tarmac cutter and road sweeper who's reviews I will carry out in due course.

Anyway, I shall try and do my best - and to start off with, in true Playmofire fashion, some images of the box :)

Road roller set 4048

Front box image:




Rear of the box, showing as usual, all the beautiful contents laid out:




Images on the side of the box showing the steering feature of the road roller, and also, how versatile the road system is:




A rather cool shot that I like very much:






 

Offline flatcat

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Re: 4048 - Road Roller
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2010, 17:33:34 »
Opening the box!

My method of using a pallete knife for safe opening of the box when an iron isn't available quickly enough: ;D




All of the contents laid out:



 

Offline flatcat

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Re: 4048 - Road Roller
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2010, 18:26:02 »
The roadway:

In this set comes 2 sections of roadway, 2 short connectors, and 1 long connector. Each is a single lane with attached pavement. Upon opening, I found these sections to be rather flimsy, due to the road part being especially thin.




The sections use System X to connect to each other, with holes to attach the pavement to a system X building which I think Is a really good idea. there are also standard size holes for the insertion of sign posts, barriers, etc. Unfortunately, the pavements here, are diffirent to those existing System X pavements, say, fron the shops, due to them being of different colour, fixing etc:




On the underside, we can see that the road sections can be joined together by a yellow System X plug, and one of those small pins:




The road sections can then be joined in series:




And also, using the white edgers as connectors, a two way road can be created:



But unfortunately, due to the road and pavement being one piece, dual carriageways and motorways etc can not be created unless you take the saw to it.


Aside from being flimsy, I found another annoying problem with the sections. At the pavement where the yellow System X connector and pin are, the section is held to gether tightly, but these are the only connectors, and as we come down into the centre of the road, a large gap becomes ever more present, and the white connector/edger I thought would solve this problem but it doesn't :-\





But an advantage to the road and pavement sections being one piece, is that multiples can easily be ordered from DS, and together with the sections from sets 4047 and 4044, a really good highway can be created.






 

Offline flatcat

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Re: 4048 - Road Roller
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2010, 18:57:35 »
Now for the roller:

Pressumably based on a vibrating tandem roller

I was really shocked to open up the box to find such a small roller! I know they are fairly small in real life but this one looks slightly rediculous!

Here is the constructed roller, with the sets 6 only stickers (chevrons) applied. The roller arrives mostly built, with just the stickers to stick, the roll bar and steering wheel which just clip on, and the sit which attaches via a pre-plugged red System X connector. As usual the instructions, on the back page, show how to built the vehicle from scratch, although I have never nedded this information, luckily :crossed:






A close up of the steering which uses a ratchet type system underneath:




I couldn't help comparing it to my Bruder 1:16 road roller, of similar design. Here it can be seen where Playmobil has made the biggest mistake of all - no lifting points at the end of the drums to enable a crane to lift the machine onto site. This is most dissapointing and overall what I am most unhappy about:



But still, it is a great little machine, and one of only two road rollers ever made by playmobil. The other being the 3533 made between '81 and '86 (thanks Collectobil & PlaymoDB) which I have got as well, although this is of a heavier variety.


Here is an image of a real vibrating tandem roller in action, made by Bomag, one of the most popluar manufacturers of road rollers. It is evident of playmobil's scaling issues, and also highlights the lack of an amber beacon:




So in all a much needed machine to the Playmobil construction fleet, but it is just a shame about it's size and lach of lifting points.




 

Offline flatcat

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Re: 4048 - Road Roller
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2010, 19:19:37 »
Now for the klickies and accessories:

The set comes with two Klickies - The roller operator, and who I pressume, is a banksman. They both have reflective strips, pressumably to meet current health and saftey regs. The Banksman I particularly like, as we haven't yet seen a klicky in this cool outfit 8-)






Accessories with the set are quite plentiful:



The signposts are a bit dissapointing due to the fact that they are not made from the soild plastic used for earlier ones, but a flexible rubbery plastic, which has already bent out of shape a bit from incerting them. Also, one post had the spurs from the moulding process still attached.


Now the white barriers are another new item for Playmobil. Whether they are meant to be the concrete ones or the plastic ones, I don't know, but they are very versatile. They can be connected together by using the yellow System X plugs, and, like the pavement parts, have the universal holes in them so anything from barriers, to sign poles, to the greenery can be inserted. Again, being one piece, multiples could be ordered from DS to give a really good effect, and with the small red barriers on top, they look really good.



 

Offline flatcat

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Re: 4048 - Road Roller
« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2010, 19:24:50 »
So in conclusion, this is a great set and a must have for any construction collector, mostly because of all the new parts, despite the problems I have mentioned.

The set's RRP is around £19.99, which I think is a fair price, although I only paid £10 for mine 8-)

Thanks for looking
Damo :)



 

Offline Wolf Knight

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Re: 4048 - Road Roller
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2010, 20:03:38 »
Great review Damo  :)9 :)9!!! The connecting points on the roadway looked quite interesting...a combination of system x and steck one might say.... (oups here we go again!!! :lol: :lol:)

The comparison between the real thing and the playmobil roller is excellent!!! I really enjoyed your little details for once more!!! Thank you!!! Now i'll know what to look on a roller when i'll nedd to buy one!!!

Offline socrates

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Re: 4048 - Road Roller
« Reply #7 on: June 04, 2010, 20:34:17 »
Great review Damo  :)9 :)9!!! The connecting points on the roadway looked quite interesting...a combination of system x and steck one might say.... (oups here we go again!!! :lol: :lol:)

@wolf knight: But its the steck-side that doesn't close the gap properly, isn't it?  :P

@flatcat: Thanks for this really very nice review! You found a perfect role model in playmofire.  :)

I also own this set and I only wanted to add that playmobil is not really promoting these streets via DS, which is something that upsets me! Once again something halfhearted from Playmobil!
Here they release a neat set with a new road system. Its cool to have a playmo-road. But then it really gives only a small, useless piece of road even if you combine the whole series. It is prepared to extend them to a two-lane road, but what the hell do they think parents will do? Buy several dozens of the complete building sets? ???

I mean, I will. Probably. ::) But this is just because I am a crazy collector who will buy them at rebel prices and sell the overhead at eBay. But this cannot be their intention... I have no price for the road pieces, but I expect them to cost at least 3-4€ for a single segment including white connector. Thats far too much for a single street building segment!

Now, this set is available at german DS for 10€. But for building a street, I do not need 10 road rollers. For these 10€ I would have hoped for everything from 4048 - except the road roller!? :hmm:

best,
socrates
"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."
— Hans Christian Andersen

Offline flatcat

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Re: 4048 - Road Roller
« Reply #8 on: June 04, 2010, 21:02:43 »
Thanks, Panos and Socrates :wave:


You found a perfect role model in playmofire.  :)


Yes, I have learnt a lot from Gordon's amazing reviews, and thought i'd do my own on a set in the area of my expertise ;)

But for building a street, I do not need 10 road rollers. For these 10€ I would have hoped for everything from 4048 - except the road roller!? :hmm:

If Bill set up a construction fleet I bet he would! ;D

It is a mystery why DS doesn't offer extra road sections as an add-on, as you are quite right, the few pieces you get if you buy each of the sets in the range is not too exciting :eh?:
 

Offline Wolf Knight

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Re: 4048 - Road Roller
« Reply #9 on: June 04, 2010, 21:06:35 »
@wolf knight: But its the steck-side that doesn't close the gap properly, isn't it?  :P

Hey that is true socrates!!!  :lol: :lol: