Tag Archives: Mike Sinclair

A LEGO Boxcar built for Bessie

While normally a red caboose would mark the end of the train, Mike Sinclair is back at the L-gauge, this time with a glorious cattle car. Working with a single color, Mike lets the bricks’ native texture do the work of breaking up the creation. Perfectly positioned tiles mimic the wooden slats on the side of the car, with black trim providing the hardware. And the scene around this heifer hauler is just as spectacular as the main subject. Track ballast dappled with light gray 1×1 round plates and a perfectly-crafted stopblock set the scene admirably.

Cattle Car

War makes gingerbread boys into gingerbread men

“Man the gumdrop cannons! We’re on General Kringle’s naughty list this year!” Builder Mike Sinclair gives us a LEGO scene that has the Christmas season fighting against itself. Maybe you’re rooting for St. Nick and his elven troops, armed with a present catapult and cannon. But if you’re like me, you’re on the side of the Gingerbread Kingdom. With their cookie castle surrounded by a chocolate moat, these confectionary combatants aren’t about to crumble under pressure. The fortress is a beautiful mish-mash of classic castle shapes laced with bits of icing and other sweet treats. It’s an extremely well-executed fusion of themes. And, much like the smell of gingerbread, it’s got me hungry for more!

Gingy's Revenge

Train caboose takes me way back

LEGO trains have a big following in the LEGO fan community, and what follows LEGO trains? Well a LEGO caboose of course! In fact, one just like this cute little CN caboose by Mike Sinclair. This is a magnificent train car, but what makes it cute to me is that the model includes more than just rolling stock. Not every train car we see includes track and terrain, but it’s included here, and the green grass is the perfect complement to the red caboose.

Little Red Caboose

In addition to the beauty and technical precision of this creation, I find it incredibly nostalgic. One on hand, the door is one that hasn’t been produced since 1980 and was a mainstay of the hand-me-down LEGO that started my collection. More than the bricks it’s made out of though, this little train car brings back memories of playing in a caboose at my local municipal museum as a child. I can fondly remember waiting to climb up in cupola and breathing in the smell of creosote railroad ties.