When I first started with Playmobil it was the fire and rescue theme, but of course other items were needed, e.g. police, ambulance, buildings, "civilian" vehicles, domestic and farm animals etc. Then, about seven years ago, I also got into the sailing ships and related sets and more extensive police and hospital, but especially the ships etc, even to planning a big photo story around the sailing ships and armies. The end result was that I got more and more away from my reason for collecting Playmobil (fire and rescue) and more and more stuff to store. In addition, I was also doing more and more custom fire engines and so overall less and less fun out of PM. So a few years ago I started a clear out which is now almost complete, just some modern stuff which is surplus to needs. and is going to a church playgroup is now on the to go list. At the same time, I made a decision to limit my buys and concentrate on the PM sets, notably vehicles, more suited to the era of my fire brigade, the 70s and 80s. As a result, the modern vehicles are not usually on my buying list, although I have bought the new ambulance and ambulance car. As regards the new fire engines, I will buy parts from them such as the new rescue gear to upgrade my custom fire engines, but not the whole vehicle. Similarly, I am upgrading my other non-fire vehicles. I have two of the orange Unimog construction vehicles and I am buying the snow plough parts from the new 4046 construction truck to fit to one of these. Looking at this year's UK releases, the only ones I'm definitely planning to buy are the 4049 builder's trailer and one (maybe two) of the new police motorcycles with the working lights. When DS re-issue old sets which fit in with my time period or smaller sets such as furniture come out in the main catalogue which attract me, I'll buy those, but otherwise it's more a matter of consolidating what I've got and playing with it more.
Phew! that's a long post. Sorry folks!
