After several months of hard work, challenges, and setbacks, our first steam locomotive and first full kit is now available for pre-order. It’s been quite a journey to get here. We’ve learned a lot in getting the kit ready and we’re excited to move this project into the next phase.
Our instructions are currently being finalized, prices and costs have been taken into account, and we’re ready to start taking orders.
I certainly can’t recall the last time I’ve seen an Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe (ATSF) steam locomotive modeled in LEGO, though I’m sure I may be missing one.
Chris Stone, known as Narmot on Flickr, has updated his model of ATSF 4-8-4 #2926 into what he is calling his third version. Chris is one of the OcTRAINber 2017 winners with his flexible-boilered mallet steam locomotive and has built several other noteworthy models including a wonderful passenger train to put behind his new 4-8-4.
One look at this locomotive will keep your eyes darting to new locations to pick out all the details. Chris certainly packed it in on this locomotive.
Continue reading Santa Fe 4-8-4 No.2926 by Chris Stone
We’re’ back again with our second builder interview, this time we’re going across the pond with 39 year old Swiss builder Beat Felber. Beat built this awe inspiring Santa Fe 5000 class steamer.
Continue reading Madame Queen – MOC Builder Interview
“Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. LEGO, always a new toy.” OK, I don’t speak French, but that is a rough translation of the major parts of this 1975 French Canadian advertisement.
This advertisement is unique in that it was done by Samsonite. In 1972, Samsonite lost the license to produce and distribute LEGO products in the U.S. Meanwhile in Canada, Samsonite was still responsible for marketing LEGO products through 1986. They also received royalties up till 1989.
This particular advertisement features set # 182, train set with signal. It is also unique in that it shows both boys and girls enjoying LEGO trains. The little girl has her eyes fixed on her older brother’s train set, and it looks like she built a Duplo water tower to go along with it.
If you are interested in learning more about the history of the partnership between LEGO and Samsonite, LEGO fan-site BrickFetish has an excellent write-up. Click here to read it.
Here’s a unique piece of advertising from 1979. This Christmas card appeared in a 5 page LEGO advertistment, printed in the November 1979 issue of the UK magazine, Radio Times. I would have shown the ad in its entirety, but my scanner can’t accommodate it. It features LEGO Christmas cards sitting on a brick-built mantle. This card features 4.5V set 182, which was originally released in 1975. Look at all the cypress trees!
Here is a larger part of the page the image comes from, just for frame of reference.
Niels Thomsen saw we shared his 1960s Christmas card the other day and, in response, posted pictures from his collection of LEGO wooden trains! LEGO made wooden toys from 1932 through 1960, the year in which a fire ravaged the wooden toy warehouse.
LEGO made a wide variety of wooden trains, and these represent a few of them. They appear to be from the period of the 1940s and 1950s. Enjoy these images of historic wooden LEGO trains, and be sure to thank Niels for sharing. While you’re at it, check out his wonderfully diverse collection of wooden toys! (click here)
Niels even photographed the engines alongside one another. This really gives you an idea of the variety of sizes these trains came in.
Flickr user Niels Thomsen (aka bricklick) has a wonderful vintage LEGO collection, filled with many unique and unusual items. Thanks to him, we are able to enjoy this circa 1966 LEGO Christmas card.
The card features the train from set 114, which was first released in 1966. It has a very special non-LEGO passenger. Santa Clause appears to be typical of the figures that were produced in Japan back then. To see more cool vintage LEGO items, be sure to visit Niels’ flickr page.
Did you receive set 40235 (24-in-1 Holiday Countdown Set) this year? The set comes with instructions for building 24 different models (one for each day leading up to Christmas). Bill Ward has been doing each day’s build, while also making a MOC with leftover parts each day. Day 13 was this cute micro steam engine. His use of the white croissant for smoke is both well-played and deliciously adorable.
Bill has been kind enough to post instructions so you can build your own. You can access them here: page 1 and page 2. To see what other builds he comes up, be sure to follow his blog, Bill Ward’s Brickpile!
This image comes to us courtesy of Emil from the UK. Back in the 1980s, the UK LEGO Club sent its members a Christmas card each year. This is one of them! It’s a pretty colorful and well-built scene, probably built by esteemed Master Builder, David Lyall.
I’m uncertain as to what year the card was produced, though it was most likely printed sometime in the 1980s.
Today’s piece of advertising comes from the front cover of a 1998 preschool Shop-at-Home catalog. It features a Duplo steam engine pulling a load of classic ’90s Duplo animals, including a bear, giraffe, elephants and even a dinosaur! Due to the target market, this is not an easy catalog to track down and does not even appear in BrickLink’s catalog. Sadly, someone took some “artistic license” with the cover, drawing dashes through the title lettering, sketching over some bits of snow and drawings spots on the cat (to match the dog, of course).
The cover art for this is truly unique and fun to look at.
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