The Brick Train Awards is a global virtual competition to showcase LEGO train builders around the world. The Awards where founded in 2020 and with a surprising 732 entries last year, the organization decided to run it again this year. Like previous year, the Brick Train Awards is a collaboration between LNUR, Bricks McGee and BMR. The awards are free to enter and judged by members of the LEGO® train fan community worldwide. The entries are op from 1st – 28th February 2021. The winners of this year’s awards will be announced on March the 5th.
Categories
Each category of the Brick Train Awards is judged at a regional level: Africa, Americas, Asia, Australasia, Europe & the Middle East. The winners of each category on a regional level, are then pitted against each other to declare global winners in each category. The winner from each category is then entered into the global Brick Train Awards. You can enter each category up to three times with different models. The 13 categories in total:
- Best LEGO® Steam Locomotive Award
- Best LEGO® Diesel Locomotive Award
- Best LEGO® Electric Locomotive Award
- Best Other LEGO® Locomotive Award
- Best LEGO® Passenger Wagon Award
- Best LEGO® Freight Wagon Award
- Best LEGO® Other Wagon Award
- Best LEGO® Building or Infrastructure Award
- Best LEGO® Individual Display Award
- Best group LEGO® display
- Best TFOL LEGO® Locomotive Model
- Best TFOL LEGO® Wagon Model
- Best TFOL LEGO® Display / Structure
For more information about each category check out the category page on the BrickTrainAwards website. There is a long list, and compared to last year, this year there more TFOL categories. The reason behind this is that last year the TFOL category was one of the categories with the most entries, which made it difficult to decide a winner since there were so many different entries.
Enter a category.
Entering a category is really simple. Email your entry, including photographs – to bricktrainawards@gmail.com. You must include:
- Your name (or alias, handle or pseudonym)
- Your country and region
- Which category you are entering. Please submit one model per email only.
And that’s it! We’ll announce the winners for each category once judges have made their decisions. You can follow a selection of entries on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. We try to upload as many entries as possible. You can enter models per category. And best of all, it’s all free to enter!!!
Rules
We tried to keep the rules a clear and simple, if you still have questions about the awards you can check out the FAQ page , or contact us trough e-mail or Facebook messenger. Due to time zone differences, it may take several days for us to respond.
- Entries for all categories are open 1st – 28th February 2021. Entering the awards is free of charge.
- Models must be built with LEGO® bricks, either physically or in digital format (eg, using LDD, Bricklink’s Studio LDraw, or other software). Customized bricks and third-party elements (e.g., custom track, rods, wheels, bearings, power systems) are permitted, but clone bricks are not permitted; please read the FAQs on this page
- Models must have been completed in the last 24 months / 2 years (i.e., since February 1st, 2019).
- You can enter up to three models per category.
- You can enter more than one award category so long as you submit a different model for each category you enter.
- You cannot enter the same model in more than one category in the awards.
- All award categories accept digital renders, except the Group Display and Individual Display categories. We permit the use of colours for elements that are not made in production in digital models.
- You cannot enter a model which won any category in a previous Brick Train Awards event.
- Each entry must contain a maximum of 6 photographs, renders or images, and a maximum of 1 video (see “how do I submit video” below)
- Builders must be aged 18 years or older at the time of entry. Those aged 13 years – 18 years may enter the TFOL (Teenage Fan of LEGO®) award categories with permission from a parent or guardian. By entering the awards, you agree that you have consent from your parents or guardians.
TrixBrix designs, 3d print and sell LEGO® compatible replacement and custom parts for LEGO® train fans. The also design and print parts on order. TrixBrix has sponsored prizes for each winner in each category, for both regional and Global winners:
Every regional winner will receive:
- 1x double straight tracks Box 10pcs
- 1x R56 curved tracks Box 8pcs (half circle)
- 1x half straight tracks 10pcs
- 50EUR gift code for trixbrix.eu
Every global prize winner will also receive:
- 2x double straight tracks Box 10pcs
- 2x R56 curved tracks Box 8pcs (half circle)
- 1x half straight tracks 10pcs
- 60EUR gift code for trixbrix.eu
We would really like to thank TrixBrix for this amazing amount of prices!!
Silver Sponers:
BrickTracks™ is dedicated to manufacturing high quality custom track pieces for use with LEGO® trains and bricks. Whether you’re building a detailed layout or just laying tracks on the floor, BrickTracks™ tracks expand beyond the standard LEGO® offering to help you get the most enjoyment out of your creations.
BrickTracks have sponsored prizes for all Americas category winners:
- 2x BrickTracks r104 left and right points / turnouts
Bronze Sponsors:
TrainedBricks provides custom LEGO®-compatible rods and valve gears for LEGO® train fans.
TrainedBricks have sponsored prizes for all Steam Locomotive category winners:
- $50 USD store credit; this can be used on products and shipping costs.
A word from Bricks McGee.
BMR spoke to the brainchild and co-founder of the awards, Richard, aka Bricks McGee.
“The idea to hold the awards started after Covid meant all of the LEGO shows my LEGO train club, LNUR, had planned to attend were cancelled. We usually attend an event or two a month, so this left us with quite a gap on the calendar.
From that, the idea of the Brick Train Awards started to form. We talked to Cale and Glenn at BMR about adding their support from America and started to approach judges in the LEGO train community, adding Ryan Evans in Australia, and Masao Hidaka in Japan.
The awards allow us to see some brilliant railway / railroad related models from builders around the world and proved much more popular than we suspected they would. This year, we’ve also invited LEGO User Groups and LEGO fans in Africa and the Middle East to participate, expanding the reach of the awards to new builders.
We had some amazingly generous sponsors last year in TrixBrix, BrickTracks, BrickTrainDepot, and BMR. TrixBrix have stepped up again to sponsor prizes globally, with BrickTracks supplying their track packs to winners in the Americas region, and TrainedBricks adding prizes for winners in the steam locomotive category. The awards would still work without the prizes, but I think they add a nice incentive for builders to enter.
This year, we added more categories for Teenage Fans of LEGO (TFOLs), as I think it’s important to involve younger builders in the community: they become older members of the fandom at some point!
The awards were a lot of fun (and hard work) last year, and I’m sure they will be this year. I love seeing LEGO fans from around the world entering, and the huge range of talent from builders everywhere.”
Announcement video:
A couple of days ago members of both BMR and LNUR recorded a video about the BrickTrainAwards, where we discussed this year awards, check out the video on our BMR YouTube Channel here:
You can find out more about the awards – and enter for free from 1st – 28th February 2021 – at bricktrainawards.com. Were really looking forward to all the entries this year!! Keep on building!
Ciao,
Enrico.