Tag Archives: Steam Engine

Fly as fast as a... duck?

Yes, you read that title right: there is an outright world speed record held by a mallard, and one that’s unlikely to ever be beaten. Now that’s not quite what LEGO train master Joe Bloomfield has built here – but it’s very close. This is an A4 Pacific class steam engine, built by the London and North Eastern Railway in the 1930s (and now Joe in the 2020s). It’s a fine model, albeit not one for the purists! The vast majority is of course made from our favourite plastic bricks, but a handful of third-party elements add some crucial details. So too do the custom decals, which identify this engine as 60009 Union of South Africa. Coming back to that speed record, the A4s were – and are – the fastest steam locomotives ever built. And the holder of that 126mph record? Not Union of South Africa, but its class-mate, 4468 Mallard!

British Rail Class A4

This Bavarian beauty goes full steam ahead

Should you find yourself in the 1920s and need to get from Munich to Nuremberg in record time, then you’ll want an express ticket to ride behind the Bavarian S3/6. This majestic steam locomotive is meticulously recreated in LEGO by Bricks_n_Trucks. At 10 studs wide, the engine is comparable in scale to the Hogwarts Express Collector’s Edition, but unlike LEGO’s largest steam engine model, this train is fully motorized with a BuWizz engine (see the video below the fold!). The version you see here is an update to the builder’s first iteration, and spotting the differences highlights how much thought went into the smallest details.

Bavarian S3-6 (BR18.4)_(Update)

But what’s a Bavarian steam engine without luxurious cars to pull?

Click to see the train cars and video!

Yo dawg, I heard you like trains

Railways aren’t all built alike, and that’s what allows Pieter Post to create this awesome bit of recursion in a LEGO diorama. The green engine is a narrow-gauge steam engine, allowing it to be transported on a standard-gauge flatcar. The engine and flatcar both are magnificent, with lots of details that are so cleanly sculpted they blend in, even down to the wood-slatted structure on the back of the flat—a structure whose purpose escapes me. I also love that Pieter hasn’t simply shown the pair on a straight piece of track, but instead took the time to sculpt a small diorama. The uneven edges add a great deal of visual interest and give the scene a feeling of being part of something much larger.

Henschel 'Brauns' narrow-gauge steam engine and SSK flatcar

Warhammer Gyrobomber dishes out the ordnance

Though I’ve never dabbled in the Warhammer universe, I’ve appreciated the art, figurines, and inspiration that it’s provided to its fanbase. This render of a Gyrobomber built by Dwalin Forkbeard was inspired by the Dwarven flying machines in Warhammer Fantasy Battles. Piloted by only one dwarf, the dual-rotor machine features plenty of artillery to lay waste to the battlefield. The curves of the cockpit are wonderfully modeled with brick-built sections and angled plates. Golden and brass details embellish the body and contrast the light and dark bluish-grey pieces of the mechanical sections. The different-sized doors used for rotor blades are an inventive element of the model, as well as the golden crown used as an exhaust port.

Gyrobomber

The view of the tail reveals the main engine behind the cockpit. I appreciate the variety of pieces that Dwalin used to model this steam-powered design. The attention to detail is fantastic and the form of the model is alluring. The information he provides really shows you how formidable this bomber could be with just one brave pilot.

Gyrobomber

LEGO 40370 Push-Along Steam Engine now available for sale [News]

Earlier this year in March, the 40370 Push-Along Steam Engine was a gift-with-purchase (GWP) that required a spend of USD $99. LEGO has now listed it as a direct for sale item and priced at US $19.99 and CAN $26.99  (Not available in the UK Stores)

Click for more details

Take the Train to Cakeville

Is your 5-year-old into steam trains as much as he is into LEGO? Builder Alexander (aka narrow_gauge) combines both of these passions into his LEGO steam engine cake.
Woolshed Flat

Though you can’t eat it, this creation makes me shiver with delight just looking at it. From the wood bottom border to the shrubbery and birdlife, everything is detailed inexactness. As far as technical work goes, Alexander doesn’t hide any of his capabilities as a LEGO railroad engineer. It’s great to see the train wheels actually on the track as it curves around the hillside. Very few builders take on an original railroad track design, and this one is flawless.

And look! There’s even a bridge! Builds like this keep kids into both trains and bricks their entire lives. Woolshed Flat

 

Steam into the circus with this whimsical train

The modern circus can trace its roots back to the late 18th Century in Philip Astley’s Amphitheatre. By the 1800s, the development of a vast railroad network allowed the circus to hit the tracks, traveling from town to town. In a world before radios and television, the circus was often one of the most highly anticipated entertainment events. Celebrating the spirit of the traveling circus, Ben Spector has built a colorful and fun-looking circus train.

Porter Brothers Circus Train

See this charming circus train in greater detail.

Steaming down the rails in style

Do you dream of steam? Glenn Holland not only dreams of of steam; he lives and breathes it, which is why he decided to build this sleek LEGO replica of a Buffalo Creek & Gauley 2-8-0. Glenn has been a fan of locomotive number 13 since he was a little boy, and his passion for this train is evident in the level of painstaking detail. It’s an attractive-looking engine, thanks in part to some extensive greebling, custom rods, and silver striping. You can almost hear that ear-pleasing “chug, chug, chug.”

Buffalo Creek & Gauley 2-8-0 #13

As this angle suggests, it looks just as awesome leaving the station as it does arriving. The tender has received just as much attention as the locomotive, going so far as to include detailing underneath. If you’d like an in-depth look at Glenn’s model, you can read more about it in his own words on LEGO train fansite Brick Model Railroader.

Buffalo Creek & Gauley 2-8-0 #13

A serene forest scene and a mighty steam engine

This scene of a steam train traveling through a forest by Allan Corbeil does so many things skillfully. Everything is executed wonderfully, but the centerpiece of the little diorama is clearly the steam engine in the middle. The train is perfect. My favourite aspects are the cloud of steam spewing forth from its chimney and the ingenious use of a Clikits ring on the front. While I love the train, it’s dwarfed by the magnificent beauty of nature that’s been recreated here.

Going West

The variety of vegetation–from tall coniferous and deciduous trees to the dense and varied underbrush–coupled with the pond make the whole scene seem real. The forest is so well done that I can almost smell the trees and hear water trickling. Maybe I might hear that train roaring down the tracks too. Be sure to check out Allan’s other pictures to get the same feeling I have, as well as spot a couple Easter eggs he included as surprises.

What’s green and gold and red all over?

If there’s one thing I can say about Nikolaus Löwe, it’s that his last name rhymes with “wow!” We were certainly “wowed” by Nikolaus’ steam traction engines back in February and are happy to see he’s keeping the steam dream alive with this handsome locomotive. According to Nikolaus, it is modeled after a steam engine that was built in 1875. The way the green body with gold trim rests atop the red undercarriage is eye-pleasing. Speaking of the undercarriage, it sports some serious detailing that would look stunning on its own, including the use of 3D-printed elements for some of the rods. Now that’s the hallmark of an engineer!

Locomotive 'Bohemian Leipa'