1986	6067	Guarded Inn	LEGOLAND Castle	6 and up	1986	1990	LEGOLAND Castle	The 1980s were a period of many different themes for LEGO sets. In 1986, these themes were known as LEGOLAND. One of the first themes was Town: all the buildings and vehicles, from banks to tow trucks, that you need to make a modern LEGO city.	The Guarded Inn is a safe place for travellers to carouse while protected from brigands on the road! You can build a red and black wooden tavern with a stone guard building attached, featuring a knight and horse, an archer, a spearman, and a lady innkeeper with a conical hat. This set was a favorite of many LEGO fans, and was popular for many years after its original release, but it became hard to find. At one point, Guarded Inns were selling for over US$300 on Internet auction sites! It became much more affordable in 2001, though; the LEGO Company reissued the Guarded Inn as Set #10000, available only through the LEGO Shop At Home catalog and website.
1986	6385	Fire Station (a.k.a. Fire House-I)	LEGOLAND Town	5 and up	1986	1989	LEGOLAND Town	The 1980s were a period of many different themes for LEGO sets. In 1986, these themes were known as LEGOLAND. One of the first themes was Town: all the buildings and vehicles, from banks to tow trucks, that you need to make a modern LEGO city.	A classic neighborhood fire station with two vehicles - a fire engine with a ladder and a fire chief's car. Each vehicle has a garage, of course, complete with sliding door. The station also has a command room with computers, a tall tower (for drying those long fire hoses) and a bed of flowers in the front.
1986	6780	Magma Starship (a.k.a. Light & Sound XT-Starship)	LEGOLAND Space (Light & Sound)	6 and up	1986	1988	LEGOLAND Space	The 1980s were a period of many different themes for LEGO sets. In 1986, these themes were known as LEGOLAND, and one of the most popular was Space, where minifigs in traditional-looking space suits piloted all sorts of vehicles through the stars.	Three light bricks (in red and green) and a sound brick add a whole new dimension of play to this starship. Light & Sound was powered by a 9-volt battery.
1986	6783	Scorpio Modular Transporter (a.k.a. Sonar Transmitting Cruiser)	LEGOLAND Space (Light & Sound)	6 and up	1986	1987	LEGOLAND Space	The 1980s were a period of many different themes for LEGO sets. In 1986, these themes were known as LEGOLAND, and one of the most popular was Space, where minifigs in traditional-looking space suits piloted all sorts of vehicles through the stars.	A bulky carrier ship with four flashing lights and two different space sounds, all powered by a 9-volt battery on top. The back end of the ship has two science modules that can be detached and left on a planetary or moon surface. The crew consists of two minifigs, with a blue robot and a small wheeled rover to aid them.
1986	6820	Space Speeder (a.k.a. Starfire I)	LEGOLAND Space	5 and up	1986	1987	LEGOLAND Space	The 1980s were a period of many different themes for LEGO sets. In 1986, these themes were known as LEGOLAND, and one of the most popular was Space, where minifigs in traditional-looking space suits piloted all sorts of vehicles through the stars.	The Space Speeder was the most popular set of 1986 - more than 1.2 million of them were sold!
1986	6940	Thunderfoot Launcher (a.k.a. Alien Moon Stalker)	LEGOLAND Space	6 and up	1986	1987	LEGOLAND Space	The 1980s were a period of many different themes for LEGO sets. In 1986, these themes were known as LEGOLAND, and one of the most popular was Space, where minifigs in traditional-looking space suits piloted all sorts of vehicles through the stars.	A four-legged walker -- the legs on the bottom move, connected by hinges and turntables. The front legs also have storage compartments. One minifig sits in the front, piloting the walker, while the other sits in the back, controlling a mechanical arm with six segments. The sections with green windows in the middle holds two rockets which stick out of the top of the walker... ready for ignition?
1986	8035	Universal Building Set	LEGO TECHNIC	7 and up	1986	1988	LEGO TECHNIC	"Models that work just like real life." LEGO TECHNIC is a different kind of LEGO toy -- in addition to the usual bricks, there are also gears, pulleys, cams, springs, and many other mechanical functions. Some even have pneumatic systems to control working parts, at the push of a finger! Ordinary LEGO bricks are held together with studs, but LEGO TECHNIC also use friction pins and axles to make structures rigid or flexible. The functions are more complex than LEGOLAND / LEGO SYSTEM models, so LEGO TECHNIC is for ages 7 and up. Many sets in this series come with instructions on powering your models by building in a motor, usually sold separately.	Instructions and pieces for five simple, imaginative models: a car with rack-and-pinion steering and a trailer; a crane with a string that you can raise and lower; a little helicopter; a gearbox; and a hand-cranked windmill. Of course, once you understand how gears work from building the five models with instructions, you can build your own mechanical creations!
1986	8094	Control Center	LEGO TECHNIC	10 and up (and schools)	1986 (LEGO Dacta), 1990 (retail)	1996	LEGO TECHNIC	"Models that work just like real life." LEGO TECHNIC is a different kind of LEGO toy -- in addition to the usual bricks, there are also gears, pulleys, cams, springs, and many other mechanical functions. Some even have pneumatic systems to control working parts, at the push of a finger! Ordinary LEGO bricks are held together with studs, but LEGO TECHNIC also use friction pins and axles to make structures rigid or flexible. The functions are more complex than LEGOLAND / LEGO SYSTEM models, so LEGO TECHNIC is for ages 7 and up. Many sets in this series come with instructions on powering your models by building in a motor, usually sold separately.	One of the big news items from the LEGO Company in 1986 was the new Control Center, launched under LEGO Dacta, the educational division that sells LEGO sets to schools for teaching principles of engineering. The LEGO TECHNIC Control Center wasn't available in regular stores until 1990. This device lets you control two motors, then record the actions of the motors to play them back later. For instance, a machine that holds a pen and moves it across a piece of paper to draw a picture. Recording the sequence would let you play it back and draw the same picture again. Although the recordings are a simple "program" for the machine, the Control Center was a long way from the true robots of LEGO MINDSTORMS®, which actually respond to their environments through sensors programmed using "RCX code". In the real world, systems like the Control Center are sometimes used to test out robots' functions before they're programmed with a computer. The LEGO TECHNIC Control Center included instructions to make a plotter (the drawing machine), a grabber arm, a crane, and more. Now, the LEGO MINDSTORMS Ultimate Builders Set (released in 2001) -- using the Robotics Invention System™ -- includes elements for building models like the plotter, a candy-sorting robot, a robotic arm, a wall climber, and more. The quest for the ultimate LEGO machine continues!
1986	8620	Ski Buggy (a.k.a. Snow Scooter)	LEGO TECHNIC Arctic Rescue	8 and up	1986	1989	LEGO TECHNIC Arctic Rescue	The new LEGO TECHNIC theme for 1986 was a polar expedition -- with the new LEGO TECHNIC figures as action heroes equipped to deal with challenging tundra and mountain environments. "Imagine a Mountain Rescue Base with a pneumatic powered helicopter platform. Or Snow Ranger vehicles with snow ploughs, and the new action figures which can even wear skis. They all add up to a really exciting new build-and-play idea." Nine centimeters high, the LEGO TECHNIC figures were designed to be men of action able to take on any challenge. They have more flexible joints than minifigs, and have a stiff, masculine look in their posture and faces. The very first edition of the LEGO TECHNIC figure head sported a pointed chin, unlike the later versions -- in Denmark, they said he looked too much like Jens Otto Krag, a famous Danish prime minister with a distinctive chin.	The smallest of the Arctic Rescue sets: a buggy with rack-and-pinion steering, and a place to mount the driver's skis and poles on the back. A real one-man all-terrain-vehicle! And of course, it can be rebuilt to have skis on the front and wheels on the back. Even though it's small, it can be motorized, just like all of the LEGO TECHNIC models in this series.
1986	8660	6-Wheeled Snow Ranger (a.k.a. Arctic Rescue Unit)	LEGO TECHNIC Arctic Rescue	8 and up	1986	1989	LEGO TECHNIC Arctic Rescue	The new LEGO TECHNIC theme for 1986 was a polar expedition -- with the new LEGO TECHNIC figures as action heroes equipped to deal with challenging tundra and mountain environments. "Imagine a Mountain Rescue Base with a pneumatic powered helicopter platform. Or Snow Ranger vehicles with snow ploughs, and the new action figures which can even wear skis. They all add up to a really exciting new build-and-play idea." Nine centimeters high, the LEGO TECHNIC figures were designed to be men of action able to take on any challenge. They have more flexible joints than minifigs, and have a stiff, masculine look in their posture and faces. The very first edition of the LEGO TECHNIC figure head sported a pointed chin, unlike the later versions -- in Denmark, they said he looked too much like Jens Otto Krag, a famous Danish prime minister with a distinctive chin.	The Snow Ranger has six wheels, but four-wheel drive (the front and back wheels are controlled by the steering wheel). Includes skis and a snow plow which can fit inside the vehicle. A gearing system can raise or lower the ramp in the back -- or, in the alternate model, control a drill for punching through the ice. Like all of the LEGO TECHNIC models in this series, the Snow Ranger can be motorized.
1986	8680	Mountain Rescue Base (a.k.a. Arctic Rescue Base)	LEGO TECHNIC Arctic Rescue	8 and up	1986	1987	LEGO TECHNIC Arctic Rescue	The new LEGO TECHNIC theme for 1986 was a polar expedition -- with the new LEGO TECHNIC figures as action heroes equipped to deal with challenging tundra and mountain environments. "Imagine a Mountain Rescue Base with a pneumatic powered helicopter platform. Or Snow Ranger vehicles with snow ploughs, and the new action figures which can even wear skis. They all add up to a really exciting new build-and-play idea." Nine centimeters high, the LEGO TECHNIC figures were designed to be men of action able to take on any challenge. They have more flexible joints than minifigs, and have a stiff, masculine look in their posture and faces. The very first edition of the LEGO TECHNIC figure head sported a pointed chin, unlike the later versions -- in Denmark, they said he looked too much like Jens Otto Krag, a famous Danish prime minister with a distinctive chin.	Two LEGO TECHNIC figures who operate a light helicopter and a helicopter platform, a base of operations with pneumatically-powered doors. The platform also has skis with wheels on the bottom. Also includes instructions for motorizing the base, and for an alternate model: a truck with a helicopter platform that can be lowered.
1986	8842	Go-Cart	LEGO TECHNIC	7 and up	1986	1990	LEGO TECHNIC	"Models that work just like real life." LEGO TECHNIC is a different kind of LEGO toy -- in addition to the usual bricks, there are also gears, pulleys, cams, springs, and many other mechanical functions. Some even have pneumatic systems to control working parts, at the push of a finger! Ordinary LEGO bricks are held together with studs, but LEGO TECHNIC also use friction pins and axles to make structures rigid or flexible. The functions are more complex than LEGOLAND / LEGO SYSTEM models, so LEGO TECHNIC is for ages 7 and up. Many sets in this series come with instructions on powering your models by building in a motor, usually sold separately.	A simple Go-Cart with rack-and-pinion steering, and a piston motor mounted next to the driver's seat. The alternate model is a six-wheeled version. There are also instructions to add a real electric motor.
1986	8849	Tractor	LEGO TECHNIC	8 and up	1986	1989	LEGO TECHNIC	"Models that work just like real life." LEGO TECHNIC is a different kind of LEGO toy -- in addition to the usual bricks, there are also gears, pulleys, cams, springs, and many other mechanical functions. Some even have pneumatic systems to control working parts, at the push of a finger! Ordinary LEGO bricks are held together with studs, but LEGO TECHNIC also use friction pins and axles to make structures rigid or flexible. The functions are more complex than LEGOLAND / LEGO SYSTEM models, so LEGO TECHNIC is for ages 7 and up. Many sets in this series come with instructions on powering your models by building in a motor, usually sold separately.	The blue tanks and the red bar on the front form a crop sprayer -- and they make this four-wheel-drive tractor look like a bug with teeth! (The crop sprayer isn't pneumatic.) In fact, the alternate model for this set is a dune buggy, and there are instructions to add a motor (sold separately) to both models.
1976	0393	Norton Commando Roadster 850	Expert	9 and up	1 September 1976	31 December 1977	The Expert Line (also known as Hobby Sets)	This was a line of seven vehicle models based on real motorcycles, trains, and cars. Here’s what LEGO said about this line back in 1976: "LEGO Hobby Sets are for experienced builders. Hobby Sets are for those who are very good at building with LEGO bricks. They are not for beginners! These models look super displayed in your room and will be admired by your friends."	From 1968 to 1977, Norton Motors manufactured the "Commando", a popular motorcycle known among motorcycle fans as the first "Superbike." In 1976, LEGO received permission from Norton Triumph Europe Limited to produce its own version for hobbyists.
1976	0394	Harley-Davidson Police Motorcycle	Expert	9 and up	1 September 1976	31 December 1978	The Expert Line (also known as Hobby Sets)	This was a line of seven vehicle models based on real motorcycles, trains, and cars. Here’s what LEGO said about this line back in 1976: "LEGO Hobby Sets are for experienced builders. Hobby Sets are for those who are very good at building with LEGO bricks. They are not for beginners! These models look super displayed in your room and will be admired by your friends."	With an endorsement and technical specifications ("2 cylinders, 1207cc, 165km/h"), the LEGO and Harley-Davidson team proved to be a great success. Boys in 1976 wanted to play with motorcycles and with police toys, and this set gave them both in one model. But kids weren’t the only ones who were happy: the LEGO Company's own builders were pleased to discover that LEGO bricks had just the right shape for making scale models of Harley-Davidson's bikes!
1976	0395	Rolls-Royce "Silver Ghost" 1909	Expert	9 and up	1 September 1976	31 December 1978	The Expert Line (also known as Hobby Sets)	This was a line of seven vehicle models based on real motorcycles, trains, and cars. Here’s what LEGO said about this line back in 1976: "LEGO Hobby Sets are for experienced builders. Hobby Sets are for those who are very good at building with LEGO bricks. They are not for beginners! These models look super displayed in your room and will be admired by your friends."	Behind the model on the box cover you can see a little castle called "Badstueslottet" in the romantic garden of Frederiksborg Castle, in the heart of the town of Hillerød in Denmark, the country where LEGO bricks are made. The Rolls-Royce model included "real data" about the life-size Rolls-Royce from 1909.
1976	0396	Thatcher Perkins Wild West Engine (1863)	Expert	9 and up	1 September 1976	31 December 1977	The Expert Line (also known as Hobby Sets)	This was a line of seven vehicle models based on real motorcycles, trains, and cars. Here’s what LEGO said about this line back in 1976: "LEGO Hobby Sets are for experienced builders. Hobby Sets are for those who are very good at building with LEGO bricks. They are not for beginners! These models look super displayed in your room and will be admired by your friends."	The American market was calling for a nostalgic locomotive toy, so LEGO contacted museums in America for photographs and drawings of the classic Thatcher Perkins, a train that operated on the B&O Railroad starting in 1863. #396 was an expensive set to buy, due to the high cost of research and permissions required to create it -- so in the end, it did not sell as well as hoped. The model was built by the LEGO Company's designers using only pre-existing LEGO elements.
1976	0661	The Spirit of St. Louis	LEGOLAND	6 and up	1 January 1976	31 December 1977			The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., opened its new National Air and Space Museum on the 4th of July, 1976 -- 200 years to the day after the Unites States was born. Inside stood the original "Spirit of St. Louis", the plane that carried Charles A. Lindbergh on his famous flight. On May 20-21, 1927, Lindbergh became the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean alone without stopping. To mark the opening of the new museum, and the 50th anniversary of Lindbergh’s historic trip, the LEGO Company launched this building model of Lindbergh’s machine. In the photograph, 6-year-old girl Anne-Louise compares her model with the real thing, which is still on display in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
1976	0901	Universal Motor Set	LEGOLAND	6 and up	1 January 1976	31 December 1984		Between 1965 and 1978, the focus was on children as experts. Market research was refined and target groups were further segmented, by age group and other criteria. As part of this new strategy, the LEGOLAND model series was introduced in 1970.	"A great addition to any LEGO building set or model." This set let you add motorized wheels to any creation, and ran on 3 bulky old-fashioned C batteries -- you don't see those too much any more! Today,