For March of 2020, LEGO® has released gift with purchase set, the  40370 Steam Engine. The set is available until the end of the month at LEGO.com and through LEGO brand retail stores for via qualifying purchase. The set is a replica of 7810 a push-along steam locomotive that was released in 1980, and commemorates the 40th anniversary of the 12v train line being launched worldwide.

I recently picked up a copy through an order to LEGO.com. Let’s take a look at this set now.

40th Anniversary

As mentioned above, this set was released to commemorate the anniversary of the 12v train line being launched worldwide. Although technically the 12v line never made it here to the United States, we did get the 4.5v battery operated train line which ran concurrently with the 12v line and was interchangeable. I find it curious that LEGO would decide to celebrate this particular anniversary, but I think I may have hypothesis as to why.

LEGO celebrated 50 years of making train sets in 2016. Many of us train fans were hoping that LEGO would do something special to commemorate this anniversary. However the year came and went without much fanfare on LEGO’s part. Except for one set. That set was 4002016 50 Years on Track, and unfortunately it was an exclusive employee gift set for that year. This meant it was not offered for sale publicly by LEGO, but given as a Christmas gift to their employees. And while this was certainly an awesome gift for LEGO to give, many of us train fans were left wanting. We wanted to have a little part of that 50th Anniversary as well. Sure copies have been available on the second hand market almost as soon as the sets went out, but the numbers are limited so prices for them are high. It would have been awesome to be able to walk into your local LEGO shop and pick one up at a normal retail price.

I can’t prove this for certain, but I like to think the 40370 is a response to the many LEGO train fans who wanted a commemorative set for the 50th Anniversary. It’s the LEGO Group’s way of saying that they realize the history of LEGO trains is important to the fans, and that they to recognize that. Of course I could be wrong, and I did say it was just a hypothesis.

What ever the reason why LEGO decided to release this set, I think it’s pretty awesome to see them acknowledging their train history.

What’s in the Box?

The box contains the 188 elements used to build the model in three polly bags and some loose large plates, a small sticker sheet, and the instruction booklet.

The sticker sheet contains the numbers and back head graphics for the locomotive, as well as two stickers for the base. I was surprised to see the sticker sheet was a shiny silver foil type, which gives a nice little extra bling to the 40th and 7810 labels used on the base. The locomotive stickers are the standard black and white though, which is appropriate.

Part of me wishes that at least the base labels had been printed on the bricks, rather than using stickers. But then we probably wouldn’t have the shiny silver graphics, so I’ll accept the stickers here.

The instruction book is your standard stuff. There is nothing special inside except the 40th logos on the inside front cover. I wish LEGO had at least devoted a page to explaining the 7810 set’s history, and the significance of the Anniversary. However we are only given the standard style assembly instructions for the model.

LEGO has improved their instruction packaging in recent years, especially with larger sets, but here my instruction book came quite bent up. No serious creases or tears fortunately, and it’s nothing a little heavy weight and time probably couldn’t fix, but it’s still annoying to have a bent book while building.

The Build

The build for the set is pretty straight forward. The locomotive is based on a 12v era set, and so follows much of the building style of that era, with just a few tiny modern parts and techniques sneaking in.

The first part of the instructions have you build the base. The base is pretty nice for a display piece. It’s simple but elegant, with a nice mounting for the locomotive, a 4×4 plaque with the 40th logo, and 1×8 tile with 7810 Steam Engine to identify the set that the locomotive recreates.

One item I feel missing from the base though is track. It could just be me, but I feel that trains always look more at home when sitting on a section of track. LEGO still produces a version of the rail used in the 12v era sets and could have included a short piece of track for the locomotive to rest on. This is a minor gripe of mine though, and it wouldn’t be too hard for anyone to build in their own track to the base if they wanted.

The locomotive itself goes together pretty quickly. As stated above, it follows the building style of the 12v era pretty closely. Studs up with basic bricks and plates, and the occasional more specialized part is the norm here. There are only a few more modern parts and techniques snuck in, the buffers being the most obvious.

The build of the locomotive follows the original 7810 model almost exactly for a large part of the model. The single biggest deviation being the lack of the Train Base 6 x 16 Cutout, part number 4178, which LEGO likely no longer has a mold for. To replace this, a base built up from smaller elements and mimics the old part.

The other major departures from the old set are the use of newer 1x2x2 windows, and the newer style train wheels. LEGO has also added brackets with SNOTed 1×2 tiles to the front and rear to display the locomotive number plates which is a subtle, but welcome upgrade.

The minifig included in the set is a perfect recreation of the classic 12v era train figure. Classic smiley face, red cap, and blue overalls with simple white paternities on the front of the torso. You can’t help but love the little guy.

What About Couplers

Something you may have noticed by now is the locomotive does not have couplers. This is probably due to the way the locomotive base needed to be built. Lego no longer produces the old style couplers used in the original model, and the current couplers with integrated buffers would have deviated too far from the original design, and it’s likely LEGO did not want to produce the new style couplers in red just for this set anyway.

However, while not readily apparent until you build the model, there are two Plate, Modified 3 x 2 with Hole conveniently placed where the coupler mounts would be on the old train base.

If you have a spare pair of the old magnetic couplers lying around, they will attach to the new set in the exact spots as the old 7810 version. The oversized buffers do get in the way of the couplers being able to swing freely, but it shouldn’t be too hard for builders to come up with a smaller modified set of buffers so that the coupler has room to swing. It’s a nice, and maybe accidental Easter egg.

Is it a Good Set?

Despite being a simple build compared to todays standards, this was quite a satisfying little set to put together. Even with a more basic part pallet, the original model was a pretty respectable representation of a European 0-6-0 saddle tank locomotive. The new one does an excellent job of recreating the original while adding some newer parts where necessary.

It may not be the most detailed model, or have the most advanced techniques, but let’s be honest, that isn’t what this set in for. It’s a trip down nostalgia lane. For those of us who grew up in the era, my first LEGO train was 7722, a childhood Christmas gift, this is a return to happy memories of playing with LEGO trains. And for those who are younger, it’s an introduction to the rich history of LEGO model railroading. This set is a look back to a cool time in the evolution of the LEGO train line. A time when LEGO trains basked in a golden era of multiple sets and accessories building into a complete and amazing range. A time when you could build a carpet railroad empire from the pages of the toy catalog.

The LEGO train hobby has moved on, and it has continued to evolve. Some of this evolution has been good, and some not so good, but there is no question that the LEGO train hobby is very different from what it was was back then. The golden era of 12v passed with the closing of the 1980’s. It may now be history, but it’s history worth remembering. This little set is a look back at that wonderful era, and is doing its part, keeping the memories of classic LEGO trains alive for future generations to enjoy. This set will have a place of honor here in my little home office where I write for, and tend to Brick Model Railroader.

If you can pick one up, I recommend doing so. You’ll fall in love with the 80’s and 12v LEGO trains.