greg3

Very nice! I like all the details such as the yellow hand rails and stop buttons, the engine, the doors and the brick built London Transport sign!! Thanks for sharing and good luck!!

A nice build.. simple but effective. Thanks for sharing!!

What a beautiful looking build! So much to like - from the colourful building designs to the cleverly built roads that really capture the character of a historic town. I especially like the sloping road!! Excellent work!

This was my entry to a recent competition run by Brickmania on the topic of "The Space Race"... Launched by the USSR on Nov 3rd 1957 (less than a month after Sputnik 1), Sputnik 2 was the second spacecraft to orbit the Earth, and the first to carry a living creature, a dog called Laika, into orbit. These 3 builds represent different parts of the mission.Launch Vehicle (microscale). Sputnik 2 was launched into orbit on an R7 ballistic missile which consisted of 4 booster rockets around a central core engine that acted as a second stage. This rocket is the Brickmania Vostok 1 set - all I did was replace the Vostok 1 spacecraft with a 4x4x3 cone (which took quite a bit of finding and cleaning up!!) Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrMission Payload (minifig scale). Inside the rocket's nose cone was Laika's capsule which contained room for the dog, biometric monitoring equipment, an air purification system, food dispenser, cooling fan and waste collection. Above this was a sphere (an upgraded version of Sputnik 1) containing a transmitter that allowed the craft to be tracked. Finally at the very top were scientific instruments to measure radiation levels in orbit. The capsule has a removable hatch with a custom printed sticker to represent the viewport. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrOrbital Configuration (microscale). Once in orbit, the R-7's boosters and the protective nose cone shroud were jettisoned, exposing the capsule and instruments to space. Unlike Sputnik 1, Sputnik 2 remained attached to the core stage of the R7 rocket so that it could use the engine telemetry system to transmit data from the capsule. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrUnfortunately for Laika, her flight was always planned to be a one way trip as the capsule wasn't designed to survive reentry (political pressure to beat the US meant the mission was launched before the technology was ready). At the time, the Soviets claimed that she had survived for a week in orbit before being humanely euthanised with poisoned food before the air ran out. It wasn't until 2002 that the truth emerged. After surviving the stress of the launch, Laika seemed to be settling down as the craft orbited Earth but during the 3rd and 4th orbits, the capsule temperature began to rise (probably due to damaged heat shielding). A few hours later, with the capsule temperature well over 40ºC, no signs of life could be detected. After about 7-10 days, the batteries ran out but the craft remained in orbit for a further 5 months before burning up on reentry over the Amazon. The fate of Laika led to protests and discussions around the world on the ethics of using animals in this way (including among the Soviet scientists involved). All future Soviet dog missions were planned with the dog's survival in mind, resulting in the next 2 space dogs (Belka and Strelka) becoming the first living things to safely return to Earth from space in Sputnik 5. (One of Belka's puppies would later be given to John F Kennedy as a gift!) Finally the 3 builds together... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Thanks for looking - comments are always welcome.

Simple but really effective! I especially like the "leg" design. Think my favourites are the bearded guy in the first photo and the Lion King and his standard bearer. Thanks for sharing.

This week I found some of the new "Hidden Side" sets at my local toy shop and couldn't resist picking a few sets up. As a result we have "The Mystery of The Maria"!! Responding to calls about an abandoned boat drifting a mile or so offshore, the local coastguard found the fishing vessel Maria. A boarding party discovered the boat was perfectly seaworthy but unmanned and drifting towards rocks. Unable to rule out the possibility of an accident or foul play, the vessel was brought into the nearest harbour, Ballabreek, for further investigation... As the coastguard patrol boat returns to its station, the "Maria" docks in the small harbour... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Police and coastguard officers board the Maria in an attempt to find clues as to the fate of any crew members... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Despite its rundown appearance, the vessel has a modern GPS tracking system - this could be vital evidence. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr They soon determine that it began its journey at its home port... the town of Newbury. As they try to piece together the rest of its recent trip, they fail to spot a mysterious "stowaway"! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Unnoticed, the strange creature scuttles off... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Heading towards the town in order to satisfy its hunger... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr To be honest I've no idea where this story is going - I just really liked the build of the fishing boat and thought the tentacles/eye combo looked too good to resist!! I might see about fitting some of the other Hidden Side sets into the ongoing story of Ballabreek - maybe as a straightforward "ghost busting" type adventure or as a "Stranger Things" type alternative reality/dimension type thing. Once the app is released I might have some more ideas!! Anyway, as always thanks for looking!!

Thanks for the comment... it's not really based on an official story - those origin stories were just way too complicated!! Instead it's my own take on the origins of several heroes/villains!! Also, the mix of yellow/flesh minifigs isn't ideal I know but the minifigs are a mixture of Licensed figs and citizens from my town layout (which provides most of the locations) Anyway, part 3 should be along soon!! (I hope!)

That is hilarious!! The pose is brilliant and I love the wolf tail hanging out of his mouth! Excellent stuff!!

This weekend saw the completion of the refurbishment of Ballabreek's Space Technology Centre. To mark this (as well as the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing) a replica Apollo spacesuit is on temporary display outside - the Apollo minifigure is a custom from Brickmania (I bought 2 to use with my Lego Apollo 11 Lander set). Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The local press has also been invited inside to see the changes. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Upstairs, the old office and lab have been replaced with a state-of-the-art control room to monitor and track space hardware in orbit and beyond. A film crew are interviewing one of the controllers. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr On the ground floor, the sterile clean room is being used to develop new technology (currently the company is working on a range of robotic systems for planetary exploration) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr I thought this would be a good way to use the new space sets - who knows, perhaps soon we'll see the first Ballabreekian in space!

This week's update keeps the local link going as the 5th of July is the Isle of Man's National Day. Known as Tynwald Day after the Island's parliament (which dating back over 1000 years, is the world's oldest continuous parliament) it centres around an open air meeting of Tynwald in which all new laws enacted during the year are read out and citizens can petition the government to investigate grievances. It is also a celebration of the Island's Norse and Celtic culture and is a Bank Holiday allowing a number of events to be held around the island. In Ballabreek, people are spending their day off at a family fun day down by the harbour. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr A number of fairground games have been set up. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr With chances to win prizes.... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr There's also face painting and balloon modelling... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr As well as making use of the new people pack, this update also gives us the chance to see the newly improved walkway - it's been widened to provide more space for running, walking, cycling etc as well as events like this. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr As always, thanks for looking - comments are always welcome.

What an amazing build!! I thought that first pic was real!! The exterior is absolutely beautiful and then there's an interior too.... absolutely stunning!!

Thanks for the comments... this small update is inspired by a local sporting event that took place last weekend - The Parish Walk. "The Parish" is an annual walking race that follows a course taking in all 17 of the island's parish churches - a total of 85 miles to be completed within 24 hours! It's said to have begun as a bet between 2 men back in the 1850s before becoming an official organised event in 1913. In recent years it has grown massively in popularity with over 1300 people striating the event this year with many of them raising money for charity. While most people "only" go as far as Peel ("just" 32.5 miles!) others carry on in an attempt to get as far as they can. This year 158 walkers completed the whole course within the time limit - and one of them was me!! (My 10th finish, I came 65th with a time of 21 hours 52 mins... only about 6 hrs being the winner!). This little scene shows a walker (which may or may not be based on me) reaching the small church at Ballabreek. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr I've imagined that the church is on the latter stages of the course so by now the remaining walkers are pretty spread out but the locals are still there to provide encouragement!! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr These days timing is done electronically with a chip in the walker's number being detected by a floor mat they walk over before touching the church gate. A marshal is on hand to make sure there's no problems and a food/drinks station is there if needed. (although walkers still going at this stage will have a support vehicle nearby) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Our walker seems quite cheerful... but he's still got a long way to go!! (the number is a sticker made using an image of my number) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr As with the previous TT related updates, I wanted to include more local events/activities into my layout - I have ideas for more later in the year!! Anyway, thanks for looking... comments are welcome as always.

Nice scene! I especially like the rounded wall and staircase (and the clever way you've created the portraits!) Excellent work!

Very nice - captures the scene perfectly!! Looking forward to seeing more pics!!

Back to the bikes... the last motorbike race of TT fortnight was held today and in Ballabreek the final evening's bike themed entertainment is about to begin. The road's been closed and locals and visitors alike have gathered... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr And here's the man they've come to see... world renowned stuntman - Duke Caboom!! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr But before we see him in action, the "warm up" act is here. Invented and ridden by local man Emmet Brickowski, the "Thricylce" entertains (and amuses) the crowd with a few wobbly runs up and down the track!! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Now the main event!! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr First a bit of showboating for the crowd... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Then it's "jump time" Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Double back flip... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Nailed it!! (no-handed landing!!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr For the finale - The Duke's signature "Ring of Fire" Jump!! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr When I saw the Duke Caboom set it reminded me of the Evel Knievel toy I had a s a kid and couldn't resist using it in Ballabreek!! (Especially as there have been several real life stunt shows here this week!) Anyway thanks for looking!!

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings and the people of Ballabreek have been joining others around the world in commemorating this historic event. The Ballabreek Military History Society have put on a display of some of the equipment and vehicles used that day, while re-enactors have been sharing the real life stories taken from the letters and diaries of the Ballabreek citizens who were there... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Some of the first men to go into action were paratroopers sent to capture key bridges before the main landing. As well as their stories, these men are showing off some of the weapons they used... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr ... and a rare example of a "Rupert" (straw filled dummies that were dropped in the hope of drawing the Germans away from the real targets) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Most of the locals involved however served in regular infantry units and would have been the ones storming the beaches... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Many would have been transported in armoured vehicles such as this Universal Carrier... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Women also played a key role in operation Overlord; maintaining communications with the invasion force, cracking enemy codes and many other roles... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The centrepiece of the display however is a newly restored Landing Craft Assault (LCA). This particular one has been equipped to represent the ones used by US Rangers in the assault on German guns at Pointe Du Hoc on D-Day. (The local link here is that the actual real life LCAs used were transported by a converted Isle of Man Ferry!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The commemorations ended with a wreath laying ceremony at the town's war memorial - the guest of honour being the last surviving local D-Day veteran. Screenshot 2019-06-06 at 22.24.35 by g.nat, on Flickr The military minifigures and weapons are by Brickmania, United Bricks and Brickarms; the Universal Carrier is by Brickmania and the LCA is a MOC (there's more info and pics of it in it's own topic here ) As always, thanks for looking and comments are always welcome...

This week sees the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings so I thought I'd share my WW2 landing craft MOC - the British built Landing Craft Assault (LCA) Developed in 1938/39 by the Thornycroft company, the LCA became the primary troop landing craft used by British and Commonwealth troops throughout WW2. On D-Day, they were mainly used to ferry British and Canadian troops from larger transport ships to Juno, Gold and Sword beaches but they were also used by small units of elite US troops on Utah and Omaha beaches - most notably at Pointe Du Hoc. Here it was feared that the German's cliff top guns would be able to target the invasion fleet and beaches, so an initial force of 225 Rangers were tasked with landing at the base of the cliffs before scaling them and destroying the guns. In order to do this, 10 LCAs were fitted with rocket propelled grappling hook launchers which would allow the troops to quickly scale the cliffs. This MOC represents one of these craft... LCA 888, which was the first craft to reach the beach and carried the Rangers' commander Lieutenant Colonel James Earl Rudder. Apart from the 6 grappling hook launchers and rope boxes it is a standard LCA... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The LCA had a narrow bow landing ramp (just wide enough for 2 men side by side). The hull either side was filled with a buoyancy foam to keep to boat afloat if it became swamped. Rollers on the end of the ramp stopped it digging into soft sand and made withdrawing from the beach easier. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Armoured doors protected the crew and passengers from enemy fire until the very last minute. (I have ideas for a better design (without the big gaps) but haven't had time to try it out yet!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Armoured steering shelter. From here the coxswain steered the craft and relayed instructions to the stoker(engineer) in the engine room via a telegraph and speaking tube. LCAs had a crew of 4 altogether (Coxswain, Stoker, 2 deckhands) and they were generally all ordinary ratings (no officers). Despite this the coxswain was in charge of the boat and its passengers until they reached the beach. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Gunners position. Most LCAs didn't have a fixed armament but a shielded position was provided for use by a Lewis or Bren gun being carried by the troops being transported. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Troop section. A standard LCA could carry 36 passengers (a standard infantry company of 31 plus 5 "specialists" - usually a heavy weapons team or engineers to clear beach obstacles). The men sat on benches, facing forward. Because of the weight of the grappling hook launchers, the boats assaulting Pointe Du Hoc carried 22 men each. (my version can carry 20 men seated) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The engine room was at the rear and accessed through a hatch. Above the hatch is the winch for a kedge anchor. This was dropped as the boat approached the beach and kept the boat steady by preventing waves hitting the stern from pushing the boat around. The anchor was also used to pull the boat off the beach (as using the engines at full power astern was found to suck in sand, rocks and debris causing damage to the prop/rudder) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Rear deck with hatch covers, ventilators and wave deflector. Below this is the engine room which contained 2 Scripps/Ford V8s with the engineer sat between them controlling the speed. The MOC does have space inside for the engines and crewman but I'm still looking for reference pics so for now it's empty!! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Stern view. Here we can see the anchor, engine exhaust outlets and guards to protect the propellor/rudder. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Top view Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Close up of grappling rope launcher and rope box. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Crewman and passenger - both figures are from Brickmania (unfortunately no-one seems too make custom Royal Navy minifigures so I've had to make do with a WW1 Italian sailor!!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr As for the real life operation, the mission nearly ended in disaster as the boats were swept off course, delaying the landing. Once ashore, the troops quickly reached the cliff top under heavy fire but found the guns had been removed. They eventually managed to find the guns hidden a short distance away and destroyed them but then came under a fierce counterattack. With their reinforcements having been reassigned to another beach, the men had to hold on for almost 3 days before being relieved. By then, of the 225 Rangers who set off, only 90 were left able to fight. While building this, I came across an interesting local link as 6 of the LCAs used at Pointe Du Hoc (including LCA 888) were launched from a larger vessel (known as a Landing Craft Infantry) called the Ben My Chree which happened to be a requisitioned Isle of Man Steam Packet ferry. The "Ben" had been converted to carry 6 LCAs on strengthened lifeboat davits and operated as the command ship for the operation. The BM marking on the side is a reference to this. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company still operates today and their current flagship is called the Ben My Chree!! The MOC is still a bit of a work in progress as I find out more about these interesting little craft. For example, I've just found some colour photos taken in 1944 which show that boats used by US troops were more of a blue colour (dark blueish grey or even sand blue!!). It should also have an orange recognition stripe across the top of the stern which was unique to the Rangers. I've also got plans for a British camouflaged version and some other variants. Anyway, thanks for looking - comments are always welcome.

Wow! That looks amazing! From the sinking ship (love the way the water is washing over the stern and all the rigging/wires), to the u-boat (which looks pretty much perfect) and even the brick built lifeboats, this is fantastic!! Excellent stuff - thanks for sharing!

Here's some more entertainment for the visiting bike fans (if the weather in Ballabreek has been anything like here, they'll need it as most of the practice sessions have been rained off!) Today's update is inspired by the funfair that's set up a few hundred yards from my house!! Unfortunately the only available space is the town's small park (and it doesn't take much to fill it up!)... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr A couple of food stands... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr A ball throwing target game for the kids... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr For the more adventurous... the "Zero-G Space Drop". This free-fall ride slowly lifts you high above the town... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Then wait for it... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr A stomach churning plunge to the ground... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr As you can see, I bought the new Creator 3-in-1 UFO carousel set today. The free fall ride was the only one that really fits in the available space but I didn't really like the colours so I swapped out a few parts to tie it in to the new space sets... perhaps the Space-tech company sponsored the ride? I also increased the height a bit!! I'm considered getting the Toy Story fair set too but aren't sure if I can find the space for it - although I'll probably add the fairground themed builds from the upcoming people pack when it becomes available. Anyway, thanks for looking...

That looks great... it's like the ultimate hot dog stand!! I bet it looks perfect in a city layout. Nice work!

For me it's the old colours (light/dark grey and brown). I find it hard to tell them apart when building under artificial light so I've just spent an afternoon separating them out - and I've realised just how much I have!! Now to decide what to do with them!! (I'll probably keep them as filler/landscaping)

Well the communication dish is now in place. Some locals are a bit surprised at its height and a few conspiracy theorists are suggesting it might have a more sinister role as part of a secret Government surveillance operation - total nonsense of course! (although "Stranger Things" have happened, so you never know!!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Anyway, as work continues to revamp the inside the building, most of the locals are far more interested in the action elsewhere as the area is hosting a 2 week long motorcycle road racing festival. Although the racing doesn't pass through the town itself, the influx of thousands of visitors are a great opportunity for local businesses so several events are planned to attract the racing fans to the town. The first one took place yesterday at the mine... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr One of the top riders (and a multiple race winner from last year) was there with his race winning machine to provide autographs and photo opportunities. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr There's also a chance to view the trophy for the most prestigious race. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Another very popular draw for the fans... all the way from Canada... the Stuntmaster himself... Duke Caboom!! He's brought his travelling stunt show over to perform in the town next week. (something to look forward to!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Making the most of the potential customers is the local mobile coffee/donut seller. (in fact she's hoping to make enough over the next couple of weeks to finally be able to get open her own permanent coffee/donut shop in the town) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Ballabreek's Military History Society are also there, showing off their recently restored WW2 German Kettenkrad - a cross between a motorbike and a tracked vehicle (A Brickmania build). We'll be seeing more of these guys next week when they reveal their latest restoration project! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Representatives of the local police and fire department are also there (with their bikes of course!) to hand out information including advice on road safety. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Judging by the number of bikes parked here the event has proved popular with the fans - hopefully they'll be back over the next few days for more entertainment!! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr This update (as well as the next few) are inspired by the TT Motorbike races taking place at the moment in the Isle of Man (where I live!). I've tried to include a taste of what goes on between the races - signings, stunt shows, displays of bike related machinery and more. (including the pavements full of bikes!!) Thanks for looking... comments are always welcome!!

“Forever Autumn” from Jeff Wayne’s musical version of War of the Worlds... the tune was originally written for a Lego radio advert in 1969!!

Other ongoing projects have meant I've not had as much time for Ballabreek as I'd like recently but the new city sets (and the next 2 weeks off work ) should mean some more regular updates!! First off we visit the Ballabreek Space Tech Centre. For the last few years, the centre has been involved in the research and production of cutting edge technology for use in the satellite industry but it's recently merged with other similar companies with a view to developing a privately funded, manned space program. This will involve a revamp of the building, beginning with an upgraded communications system to allow it to act as one of several ground based monitoring stations. (it will also get a new interior and a rebrand; new signage and the red stripes changed for orange!) Today sees the new rooftop satellite and communication gear being placed. Unfortunately I don't have a crane big enough so a helicopter lift company has been called in... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The main support units are heli-craned in first... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Other sections will follow... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr A local TV crew are filming the progress and are preparing to interview the project manager and one of the astronauts who will be crucial to this new project. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr As you can tell, I found a few of the new City sets (a couple of the space sets and the Donut shop set) in my local toy shop and will be trying to fit them into Ballabreek over the next few weeks... so watch this "space"!! Thanks for looking!!

I'm currently in need of a 4x4 round plate in green - a common part and a common colour but never produced!! (very annoying!!)