About Gambort

I'm a builder with a short attention span and a lot of virtual bricks. I'm probably most known as a train builder and was involved in the creation of LEGO set 10183 but I do a lot of other stuff too. I'm also a member of the LDraw SteerCo and a webmaster for the site.

Posts by Gambort

RIP Heiner Berg

Heiner Berg with beerOne of the unfortunate side effects of being an “old timer” in the LEGO community is the increasing list of people you have met, or would have liked to meet, who have passed away. It is thus with regret that I share the news that Heiner Berg, one of the big figures in the German AFOL community, is with us no more. I believe I met Heiner only once in 2007, but I knew his name from my early days on LUGNET. He was one of the first LEGO Ambassadors, which indicates the esteem he was held in Germany.

I will pass over to Holger Matthes (HoMa), another “old timer”, and someone who knew Heiner well to share their thoughts.

I knew Heiner for more then 10 years and he was one of the early guys forming the German AFOL scene.
Heiner is well known for his neverending hunt for yet another color variation of the iconic Blue Hopper. His website mentions more then 25 variants:
http://www.heinerberg.homepage.t-online.de/index-e.html
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?m=HeinerBerg

Lately he concentrated on rare colors for roofs and he knew all the existing slope elements in fancy colors and came up with a really colorful and detailed layout to present his trains and other building.

Rest in peace Heiner!

If you remember Heiner, please feel free to write down your memories below. For those of you who feel more comfortable writing in German, 1000Steine have a memorial thread.

LEGO Melbourne 1972... and a quick message from our sponsors

For the third time (previous ones here and the supremely talented here), Michael Pianta (scruffulous) and I teamed up to present a 1972 era diorama at Brickvention 2014 based on the railroads of the great state of Victoria, Australia.

Brickvention 2014 - Overview

APM mill - Gray siding through leavesThis time we chose our most urban setting yet in the APM Paper Mill in suburban Melbourne alongside some of its neighbouring suburbia. As usual, our goal was to create as realistic a display as possible, under the limitations of our collaboration (I fly my contribution in) with the specific targets of creating: 1) plausible landscaping, flora and fauna, 2) minimal gridding and, 3) realistic roads and rail. I’m happy enough with it to think we hit the targets.

APM mill - Tim's houses with J Class

On a sadder note, I’m using this flagrantly self-promotional post to announce my resignation from TBB as a writer/editor/curator/whatever the latest hip term for it is. After many years sharing my love of LEGO with you all, I need to focus my time and energies on other things. I even hope to start building more models again, although I’m not threatening that too strongly. I happily extend my thanks to Andrew, Josh, my co-bloggers new and old, and especially our readers for the fabulous time I’ve had here.

Ed Roth’s Rat Fink recreated in LEGO by Adam Grabowski

Adam Grabowski (misterzumbi) is usually quite laconic in his posting, so you can tell he’s excited about his latest LEGO work by the length of the accompanying prose. In short, he has recreated the famous Rat Fink by Ed Roth. And he’s done so with the help of some paint to make sure he got RF as close to source as he possibly could. Enjoy!

RatFink016a

Eleven pieces and a children’s game

It’s amazing what one can do with eleven pieces of carefully chosen LEGO and a lot of creativity. Chris Maddison brings his [insert sporting cliche here] to the e11even pieces challenge with this clever and compact rendition of rock, paper, scissors.

Rock Paper Scissors

Microscale Holiday Train Diorama by TBRR

With a little help from TBB regular Tony Sava, Edward Chang from Texas Brick Railroad LUG has made this adorable microscale layout, complete with Christmas and holiday details, and replicas of children’s favourite trains. One for the kids and adults alike. And if you’re in the Friendswood, TX region you can see this in the brand store in Baybrook Mall.

TBRR_LUG_Showcase_2013-12_26

Runaway train

Caleb Randolph has taken train dioramas to the next level with “Anastasia”: Runaway Train. The detailed, raised mountain platform and use of classic train tracks to give a continuous edge is especially masterful. And that’s ignoring the excellent snow, steam, and, of course, the locomotive itself. Brilliant work.

IMG_0469

LEGO Movie sets official drip-feed

For those of you with an interest in Time Cruisers and/or the LEGO Movie, LEGO are steadily releasing pictures of the Movie tie-in sets. Picture below is MetalBeard’s Duel which, upon careful inspection, is indeed a mecha with a shark for one arm and cannons for the other. Enjoy.

70807 MetalBeard's Duel

10243 Parisian Restaurant unveiled by Jamie Berard at BrickCon [News]

This evening at BrickCon in Seattle, LEGO Designer Jamie Berard unveiled the latest set in the modular building series, 10243 Parisian Restaurant. The set includes 2,469 pieces — with lots of the new olive green everyone is obsessed with — and will be released in January 2014.

10243 Parisian Restaurant

10243 Parisian Restaurant 10243 Parisian Restaurant

10243 Parisian Restaurant

See more photos in The Brothers Brick photostream on Flickr.

Here’s the complete press release from LEGO:

10243 Parisian Restaurant

Ages 16+. 2,469 pieces.
Have an unforgettable evening at the amazing Parisian Restaurant!
US $159.99 – CA $189.99 – DE 149.99 € – UK 132.99 £ – DK 1299.00 DKK

It’s very busy in the Parisian Restaurant. As a scooter zips by, inside the waiter rushes between the tables as the nervous young man gets ready to propose with the ring! It’s just as hectic behind the scenes, with the chef busily preparing the food. This beautifully detailed building is the setting for so many stories and is a great addition to the modular building series. The Parisian Restaurant has a fully-stocked, blue and white tiled kitchen with tableware as well as a cozy apartment with pull-down bed, kitchenette and fireplace. On the top floor is the artist’s room with a studio that includes a cast iron heater, easel, paintbrush and two works of art by the aspiring artist. Outside, stairs lead down to the roof terrace lined with hanging lanterns and flowers where the diners eat alfresco-style. This amazing Parisian Restaurant model even includes a facade with croissants, clams and feather details that recapture the feel of Paris. Includes 5 minifigures: chef, waiter, girl and a romantic couple.

  • Includes 5 minifigures: chef, waiter, girl and a romantic couple
  • Also includes a rat, seagull and 2 clams
  • Kitchen features blue and white tiled floor, lots of kitchen units and a variety of utensils
  • Second-floor apartment features a pull-down bed, kitchenette and fireplace
  • Top floor features an opening roof revealing an artist’s studio with heater, easel, paintbrush, palette and artwork
  • Includes lots of food items for the customers including croissants, a pie, 2 cupcakes, 2 grapes, 2 hotdogs, turkey, cheese wedges, milk carton and colored bottles
  • Also includes hard-to-find white croissants and bricks in olive green, dark blue and dark red
  • Intricate exterior details include facade with croissant detailing, bus stop, sidewalk, scooter and even a dumpster and trash can at the back
  • Put up the printed restaurant sign and menu to entice the customers in
  • Collect and build an entire town with the LEGO® Modular Buildings collection: 10224 Town Hall and 10232 Palace Cinema!
  • Measures over 11” (30cm) high, 9” (25cm) long and 9” (25cm) wide

Available for sale directly through LEGO® beginning
January 2014 via shop.LEGO.com, LEGO® Stores or via phone:

Here’s the designer video featuring Jamie Berard

BrisBricks 2013 Convention

For those of you in Brisbane, next weekend (Oct 5th-7th) will see the BrisBricks LEGO Convention out at Chandler. Details below.

OPENING TIMES:
Saturday 5th October 2013 – 9:00am-5:00pm
Sunday 6th October 2013 – 10:30am-5:00pm
Monday 7th October 2013 – 9:00am-4:00pm

Autism Community Session:
Sunday 6th October 2013 – 9:00am-10:30am

TICKET PRICES:
Adult: $10.00
Child (3-15yrs): $5.00
Under 3yrs FREE

Book tickets online:
To book tickets click here http://www.trybooking.com/DDJR

Tickets sold at door:
Limited tickets will be available at the door. (cash only)
Book online to avoid disappointment as sessions often reach capacity
Pre-paid tickets will take priority entry

LEGO Adventure Book 2

If the LEGO Adventure Book was an unofficial sequel to the 80s Ideas Books, the LEGO Adventure Book 2 is an official sequel to an unofficial sequel. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a book filled with great models by many great builders. I won’t write much about the book (aside from pointing out it has almost 40 sets of instructions), but I will leave you with the list of builders who contributed to it: Megan Rothrock (author/editor), Mark Stafford, Are J. Heiseldal, Arjan Oude Kotte, Barney Main, Birgitte Jonsgard, Tommy Williamson, Tyler Clites, Marco den Besten, Yvonne Doyle and Daniel August Krentz.

You can pre-order from Amazon.com right now (and remember, clicking that link helps support TBB).

810dWu9VU9L._SL1500_

Table of Contents

Quirks of trainy history

And to keep up the train theme, Mike Pianta (scruffulous) has gone to rather smaller extremes in his teeny rail motor car. As is pretty clear from Mike’s LEGO Model, rail motors were a sort of car or small bus that ran on the tracks. They were used to service less popular lines in various countries before cars and buses took over. This one was built for a challenge over at LEGO Train MOCs.

AEC Rail Motor Car

A train trip to the country

The background might not be LEGO, but I can assure you that the Class 116 DMU (that’s a diesel powered inter-connected train for those who don’t speak train nerd) certainly is*. And as if good looks weren’t enough, Carl Greatrix (bricktrix) has given this commuter train full digitally controlled lighting, sounds and motor control with help from “Richard and Mike”.

LEGO Class 116 DMU DCC at PW's

* Admittedly a few pieces may have been bent, cut, and otherwise modified.