Why are there two versions of the large Town Plan set?

The catalogue lists a Continental European edition (810-2, 756 pieces) and a UK edition in a cardboard box (810-4, 751 pieces).

Which cars go with Town Plan?

The ready-made HO 1:87 vehicles of the same period, which have their own sub-theme under System.

When were Town Plan sets released?

The 40 sets date from 1954 to 1968.

Town Plan

Sets: 40
Since: 1954
Newest set: 1968

Town Plan was the first attempt to build a whole town from bricks, complete with roads, buildings and model cars. This sub-theme of System lists 40 sets from 1954 to 1968.

Sets per decade

All decades

Sets per year

4 sets from the 1960s

1960s

About Town Plan

Where brick towns began

Town Plan introduced the idea that separate sets belong to one shared world. Buildings made from bricks stood on a printed street layout, and HO scale cars from the same era filled the roads. Every town theme that followed builds on this principle, which gives these sets a special place in the history of the hobby. The sub-theme includes both the large layout boxes and the smaller building sets that extended them.

The big layout sets

The flagship Town Plan set came in regional editions. Town Plan - Continental European (810-2) from 1961 contains 756 pieces, and Town Plan - UK, Cardboard box (810-4) from 1962 has 751. The small difference in part count is one of the reasons collectors compare the two versions closely. Gift Package (700.0-1) from 1957, with 238 pieces, is the next largest. Both are far larger than anything else in the sub-theme.

Individual buildings

Several buildings were released on their own and in more than one edition. Church appears as 1309-1 from 1957 with 150 pieces and as 309-2 from 1958 with 149. Fire Station exists as 1308-1 from 1957 with 108 pieces and 308-3 from 1958 with 110. ESSO Filling Station (1310-1) from 1956, with 96 pieces, shows that real brands appeared on the models from very early on.

Tracing editions

Because so many Town Plan sets exist in near-identical versions, the parts lists on Bricoria are the easiest way to see what separates one edition from another and whether a vintage box is complete. What can I build? on Bricoria also shows whether your old bricks are enough to put one of the buildings back together.

FAQ

Why are there two versions of the large Town Plan set?: The catalogue lists a Continental European edition (810-2, 756 pieces) and a UK edition in a cardboard box (810-4, 751 pieces).
Which cars go with Town Plan?: The ready-made HO 1:87 vehicles of the same period, which have their own sub-theme under System.
When were Town Plan sets released?: The 40 sets date from 1954 to 1968.