Why are the set names in English only?

For most of these older sets only the English names are recorded, so they are used on both language versions of the page.

Which years does the theme cover?

All 30 sets were released between 1974 and 1978.

Are these figures compatible with minifigures?

They connect to the same bricks, but they are built at a much larger scale, so they do not fit minifigure-sized buildings or vehicles.

Building Set with People

Sets: 30
Since: 1974
Newest set: 1978

In the mid-1970s, sets began to include large brick-built people, a few years before the minifigure arrived. This theme lists the 30 sets released with them between 1974 and 1978.

Sets per year

30 sets

1970s

About Building Set with People

People before the minifigure

The figures in these sets are built rather than moulded in one piece: a round head, arms that move and a torso and legs made from bricks. They stand much taller than the minifigure that followed in 1978, so the buildings and vehicles around them are built on a generous scale. Their arrival gave sets a human element for the first time in a consistent way, turning models into small scenes with farmers, zookeepers and firefighters. Stand one next to a later minifigure and the difference in scale is obvious at a glance.

Farms and animals

Rural life is the strongest subject here. Farm Set (190-1) from 1975 is the largest set in the theme at 526 pieces. Farm Vehicle and Animals (197-1, 1976) and Farming Scene (255-2, 1975) both have 120 pieces. Zoo with Baseboard (258-1) from 1976 reaches 473 pieces and adds animals and enclosures on a base plate. Together they cover livestock, vehicles and farm buildings.

Fire crews and service stations

Emergency and road scenes make up the rest of the larger boxes. Firemen (218-1) from 1977 and Fire Trucks (340-2) from 1978 have 277 pieces each. Service Station (217-1, 1977) with 211 pieces and Gas Station (330-2, 1978) with 212 pieces show two takes on the same idea. Fire crews and petrol stations both returned in the minifigure town sets that followed from 1978.

A short-lived chapter

Once the minifigure appeared, the large figures were phased out, which makes this five-year span a distinct period for collectors. If you own loose figure parts from the era, the parts lists here help you match them to the right set, and What can I build? shows which of these models your collection could complete.

FAQ

Why are the set names in English only?: For most of these older sets only the English names are recorded, so they are used on both language versions of the page.
Which years does the theme cover?: All 30 sets were released between 1974 and 1978.
Are these figures compatible with minifigures?: They connect to the same bricks, but they are built at a much larger scale, so they do not fit minifigure-sized buildings or vehicles.