Today, we have the privilege of presenting Christian Collins, one of the younger members of the LMFD. Enjoy the interview below!
~Michael LFC Blog: Thank you for taking the time to join us today Christian! Tell us about yourself. When and why did you start building Lego fire trucks? CC: For those who don’t know me, my name is Christian Collins, otherwise known as Double C or simply CC. I'm a 22 year old FF/EMT-B from the great State of Texas. I started building with LEGO around the age of 4, and had a fairly decent sized custom built town a few years later. But it wasn't until I seriously began learning about a career in the fire service that I started to build custom apparatus, around mid 2004. LFC Blog: That's awesome! I remember seeing your builds on MOCpages wayyy back in 2007 or so. Who/what inspires you to build? CC: Back in the day my biggest inspirations were Bob K, Matt J, Paul B, Mike L, D H and the rest of the LMFD. Later on during my MOCpages days, influence came from the likes of Alex W, Martijn M, Zak O, and many more I'm sure I'm forgetting. As far as apparatus inspiration I get my ideas mainly from local North Texas departments. LFC Blog: All those guys are legends! What's in the name Brickville and why did you settle on the current color scheme? CC: To be honest I don't know where the name Brickville came from. It was just something 9 year old me came up with and it stuck. The original color scheme was white over red with white stripe, but in the past few years I’ve been transitioning to all red with a black stripe, inspired by many local departments that have made the same change. You will see both schemes in the department still, and even the old scheme making a return on some new “old” rigs. LFC Blog: Cool! Your current scheme reminds me of Plano, TX. What is the most challenging rig you've ever built? CC: I could type up a whole laundry list here. Every new design has had its fair share of challenges, from my old Fords to my newer Spartans. If I had to name a “most challenging” I’d say it was settling on a good Spartan design. It took several years of subtle changes and some major overhauls for me to finally be happy with one. LFC Blog: I agree. Spartan Gladiators are challenging to portray accurately in 6-wide. What is your most favorite rig and why? CC: It's a 3-way tie between Truck 610, Rescue 603, and Medic 612. Truck 10 because it’s a 1980's model E-One aerial, quite possibly my favorite apparatus of all time. Rescue 603 because it's my oldest apparatus, built in 2009. And Medic 612 because I’m a sucker for a good boo boo bus. LFC Blog: Those are great pieces (pun intended) of work! What is one Lego piece you wish were manufactured and why? CC: If TLC reads this, give me a good Halligan damn it. My minifigs deserve a good set of irons. LFC Blog: Haha! Yes, we need more tools! What are your future plans for your department? CC: Currently Brickville stands at 12 stations in 3 battalions. Over the course of the next year I plan to expand that number to 15 at least. Beyond that I couldn't say. In early 2019 I'll be getting married and moving, so the future is a little uncertain for the LEGO collection. Rest assured it won't disappear though. LFC Blog: Congrats on your engagement! We look forward to seeing more of Brickville in the near future! What is the best part of the Lego Fire Community? CC: The people. I have made many friends through this wonderful community and got to see many accomplish their goals and dreams. The sweet builds are just a bonus to sharing a bond with like-minded people from across the globe. LFC Blog: Indeed, the community is what makes the LFC special! How would you like to see the LFC grow better? CC: More individual style. I see too many copy-cat builds recently, especially on Instagram. I would also like to see the return of an Emergency Bricks style site. LFC Blog: That would be awesome to have a dedicated website for the LFC! Any tips or advice for new builders? CC: Develop your own style, be patient, get out of your comfort zone, respect those who came before you, and above all don't take it too seriously. At the end of the day we're just boys (and some girls) with our toys. LFC Blog: Great advice CC! Again, thank you so much for taking the time to do this brief interview, CC; and we hope to see more of your builds soon! To all the readers, thank you for your continued support! We truly appreciate all the positive comments! If you haven't done so already, please subscribe to the blog so that you will be the first to know when interviews, walk-arounds, or special featurettes are posted!
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~Committed to presenting outstanding LEGO firefighting MOCs from around the world!~
Blog Updated: 10/28/22
PurposeWelcome to the Lego Fire Community Blog! Presented here are outstanding builders who captivate their audience with their MOCs (My Own Creation). The purpose of this blog is to educate others of exemplary builders both past and present. DedicationThis blog is dedicated to Eric S. McDonald, the Fire Chief of the original Lego City Fire Department who died unexpectedly on Aug. 21, 2002. His vision is what started the whole LFC, and for that we are eternally grateful. About the moderating teamChief editor - Michael P. - Founder of Castle Beach Fire Department and Los Angelego County Fire Department Archives
October 2022
DisclaimerThis website is not affiliated with The Lego Company, or any real life fire department for that matter. All builds presented here are original works by the respective builders who gave strict permission to utilize the photos on this website. None of the photos were/are kept for personal use. |