If this handsome structure from builder legolux1973 looks familiar, you might recognize it from its young, wild, LEGO World City days as 10027 Train Engine Shed. Since then, though, it’s moved to the country and developed a quiet, studied sophistication clad in dark red. Only one engine bay is needed these days, but it’s grown to make space for modern locomotives and there’s a small office smartly tucked to the side. The black half-circle arched windows top off the banks of windows, and note the small 1x2x2 window with grille tucked in sideways above the bay doors. The scene is finished with lots of little details, including some fuel containers (Octan, of course!), a pallet jack with a pallet and boxes, a little portable tool cabinet, and lots of tasteful landscaping. We’ll raise a grease can to you, Train Engine Shed!
Category Archives: LEGO
The galaxy’s favorite droid gets a serious upgrade
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, R2-D2 discovered there was more to life than plotting courses through hyperspace. Greg Dalink tells a story with this fun mech built to fit R2-D2. Using credits saved up over years of loyal service, the galaxy’s most loved astro-mech commissioned an expert droid-smith to fashion a mighty mech, so he could join the rebellion and wreak havoc. And make sure to check out all of Greg’s mecha tributes to the Star Wars universe that we’ve featured on TBB!
Donuts, donuts, LEGO blocks, and a LEGO Block
There are two types of people in this world when it comes to donuts: those who think of round sugary things, and those who picture squealing tires and a very sideways car. And for the latter, chances are the person performing them in your mind’s eye is Ken Block, who sadly left us earlier this year. Clemens Schneider has paid tribute to a true icon of motorsport in the best way possible: with full steering lock, foot to the floor, and a massive plume of tire smoke!
The keen-eyed among you will notice something odd about those tyre tracks. They hide a very different kind of track, but it’s one that gives this diorama an awesome party trick. This isn’t a moment frozen in time – Ken’s LEGO Hoonicorn Mustang actually performs donuts!
For those impressively-large LEGO hauls across Europe
While production of the Scania 3-series may have ended in 1998, brick-built truck aficionado Dennis Bosman crafted his own from LEGO featuring all the markings of the UK-based H.C. Wilson transportation company. The shaping here is spot-on, with proportions and front grill indicative of the Scania R143. But the real triumph here has nothing to do with the bricks themselves. This has got to be some of the best stickering I’ve ever seen on a model! The custom H.C. Wilson decals are professional-level, and give the truck an added boost of character to match that sporty red paint job. I know who I’m calling when I need to move some brick!
TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for November 18, 2023 [News]
In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the third week of November 2023.
TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS Welcome back to the weekly roundup of LEGO news! Since the last Brick Report we have a few interesting bits! This week we featured product announcements, a GWP review, and news on how you can donate to Ukraine’s rebuilding efforts and possibly win a fantastic custom LEGO creation. Read on!
- [NEWS] LEGO Ideas 21344 Orient Express revealed — Nealy 140 years since it first hit the tracks, you too can soon own your own Orient Express
- [NEWS] Classic LEGO set Majisto’s Magical Workshop re-imagined as Gift with Purchase 40601 — Another GWP debuting this LEGO Insiders weekend
- [REVIEW] LEGO Creator 40602 Winter Market Stall Gift with Purchase — Chuck assesses the appeal of the new holiday GWP
- [NEWS] Ukraine’s United24 charity launches custom LEGO kits to raise funds for rebuilding Ukrainian infrastructure — Your donation could win you one of 15 fantastic custom kits, and help rebuild Ukraine in the process
- [NEWS] LEGO Insiders Weekend 2023 offers two days of sets and deals — LEGO kicks off the holiday shopping season
LEGO Insiders Weekend 2023 offers two days of sets and deals [News]
The holiday shopping season is kicking into high gear this weekend, and LEGO has planned two days full of sales and special offers on its website for those that participate in the Insiders program. Several sets like LEGO Icons 10315 Tranquil Garden, LEGO Batman 76252 Batcave Shadowbox, and LEGO Icons 10323 PAC-MAN Arcade are offering 3x Insiders points with purchase. And a handful of others are even going for 4x Insiders points, like LEGO Technic 42130 BMW M 1000 RR. But if none of those sets are on your list, the entire site has 2x points for the whole weekend.
For those packing their digital shopping carts full of sets, there are a pair of gifts-with-purchase that are available: LEGO Creator 40602 Winter Market Stall for orders of US $170 | CAN $220 | UK £150 or more, and 40595 Majisto’s Magical Workshop for orders greater than US $250 | CAN $330 | UK £220.
And while you’re on your way to complete your digital Christmas shopping (or just shopping for yourself, if you’re like me), please consider heading to LEGO US | LEGO CAN | LEGO UK via our affiliate links on The Brothers Brick. By using those links, you help to support our efforts to highlight the best builds, news, and reviews in our LEGO community. We use the funds generated via links like these to cover server costs, event sponsorships, and other ways The Brothers Brick serves the LEGO hobbyist community.
Cactus makes perfect
I love a bit of meta in a LEGO build. Eli Willsea is taking part in Iron Builder, where the challenge is to use the watering can piece in new and unusual ways. Now a watering can is a tool to help keep your plants alive. So Eli has used it to bring a plant to life in brick form! But why not go further? Why not choose a plant that is famous for not needing a lot of water, like a cactus? Now we’ve got a hint of irony involved too! Pretty much all that’s missing now is a good pun. What to do for that, I wonder…
Ukraine’s United24 charity launches custom LEGO kits to raise funds for rebuilding Ukrainian infrastructure [News]
In the wake of Russia’s invasion last year, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy launched United24 as the official platform for fundraising efforts to support Ukraine. With a holistic approach, the charity provides funds across medical aid, reconstruction, de-mining, defense, and more, with a variety of projects and global ambassadors, including actors like Mark Hamill and astronaut Scott Kelly. Today, United24 launched a new initiative with custom kits designed by talented LEGO builders from around the world — Maksym Mityakin from Ukraine, Artur Samkov from Poland, and Yevgen Tonyev from the United States. By donating $24 (USD) on the United24 website, you’re entered in a raffle to win one of a very limited number of custom LEGO kits, with the resulting funds from this initiative going to rebuild housing in Ukraine destroyed or damaged by Russian military action during the war.
The first wave of custom LEGO kits includes three iconic landmarks from all across the country — the Mother Ukraine statue in Kyiv (above, designed by Maksym), the Swallow’s Nest castle in Crimea (by Artur, below), and the Old Water Tower in Mariupol (by Yevgen).
See all of the LEGO designs featuring Ukrainian landmarks and learn more
LEGO Majisto is a BIG Dragon Masters fan!
The Dragon Masters faction (a.k.a. Dragon Knights, outside of the US) from LEGO’s Castle theme has been on the minds of many thanks to the upcoming 40601 Majisto’s Magical Workshop gift-with-purchase. And for builder terauma, it’s clearly a big deal! I mean, that explains this jumbo-scale minifigure of the wizard himself. Based on the proportions of 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure, mega-Majisto makes the dragons from his faction look like whelps by comparison. It’s a great reference to my favorite of the brick-built medieval armies of the 90’s.
LEGO Ideas 21344 Orient Express revealed [News]
LEGO Ideas switches to a new track with the reveal of 21344 Orient Express. The Orient Express is a classic train that is a part of popular culture, most prominently in Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express novel and its movie adaptations. The Orient Express first ran in 1883, and though the original incarnation ceased operation in 1977, you can still ride the Venice-Simplon Orient Express in very similar coaches today. The set rumbles in with a 4-6-0 steam locomotive, a 3-axle tender, a restaurant car, and a sleeping car with two classes of accommodations. Built from 2,540 pieces and including 8 minifigures, it will be available from LEGO.com and LEGO stores worldwide starting December 1st for US $299.99 | CAN $TBD | UK £259.99.
Click here to see more of The Orient Express
A WackDonald’s nightmare that doesn’t involve hot coffee on the crotch
There’s nothing to see here. I recommend you move on ASAP and check out our LEGO puppy archives instead. Get! Skidaddle! Are you still here? You must be a sucker for punishment, then. Fine, have it your way! With so much AI art on the net nowadays, including some bonkers LEGO creations, you’d think this is yet another disturbing offering from our eventual robot overlords. But no, this came from the mind of Julius von Brunk. He calls it McGundam and it features a clown mech with a large Ronald McDonald head for a crotch. What part of that don’t you understand? Kinda makes you wish hot coffee was the only McDonald’s crotch-related mishap, doesn’t it? Julian goes on to tell us that this model went through several iterations due to frequent stability and fragility issues. No one said fueling your nightmares was easy! If you like your LEGO creations just a little bit unsettling then check out our Julius Von Brunk archives. By this point, it’s probably too late to enjoy some lovable kitty archives instead.
Water (and frogs) under the bridge
This saccharine sweet little LEGO scene is brought to you by famed builder Eli Willsea. With adorable frogs under a bridge and equally adorable birds on it, what’s not to love? This is an entry for the ever-popular Iron Builder competition; this time the seed part being the watering can in lime. Eight were used to denote the frog eyes. I especially love that one frog peeking from behind the bridge. It’s just so sweet! Even the wee caterpillar seems happy to be eaten in this delightful little scene.