LegoDW

Thought I would share my Hogwarts express MOC. Been working on this off and on for the last 9 months. This set was the first steam engine TLG has offered since coming out of my dark ages. MOC is from two sets, a small bricks and pieces order (red windows) and some spare brick from my collection. All Hogwarts Express stickers and such have been removed from train. Station, set came with a very nice cut thru section of a station. Seamed just to nice to not use. MOC is basically mirror building one set, adding a few platform sections and connecting them together. Engine; Changed out the front boiler cover to a non printed one, added 2 studs to the lenght of engine, swapped out the black plate for yellow to match rest of train,and changed out all the Technic connectors to standard magnetic bumpers. Rebuilt front bumper. This picture worth all the headaches getting the pictures to display correctly. Tender; basically rebuilt the whole thing. Added power functions motor and IR receiver, magnetic bumpers (magnetic bumper swap for whole train). Increased the length to match the motor. For the Engine and Tender was going for a classic O-27 scale proportions. That is what I had as a kid and still looks good to me. Mind the cable, usually its tucked into the Combine car better. Combine Car. MOC. Front section holds the PF battery. Rear section for passenger seating. Added a bit of detail to the under carriage as thought the original build looked a little plain. Duel yellow stripping inspired from previous version of this set. Reworked the roof to added windows. Inspired by American Wild West Coaches. Coaches, they are stock less the roof, yellow strips and under carriage bits. Observation car: MOC. Built to match rest of train. Opened up the rear for observation area. Here is a photo of the complete train. Was tricky getting the yellow lines to line up between everything. Mind the mess under the table and on our layout. With the whole COVID-19 mess, kids are home and layout getting a lot of play. Future plans for the train may include swapping put the Tender motor for a motor actually in the engine (like the Emerald Knight). Other than that very happy with the build and expect to be running it for years.

Solved: Per this review on youtube all the items listed above appear to be authentic Lego. Even the inside of one Leg not being chromed. Wonder why TLG didn't put their name on the helmet? Maybe it was outsourced. $60 US for a sealed bag, kinda wish the kids didn't open it. Oh well, will look good in our collection.

I like it. Great job. Only suggestion is I want to see more, third level?

Figure looks like new. Kids played with it just for a few mins and then off to something else. Legs are very loose. Clutch between legs and torso good, head clutch to torso good, helmet to head fairly loose. Helmet will stay on if you tip it upside down but not falls off with the slightest touch. Helmet dose not say Lego in anti-stud, its a circle with a J in it. Head stud odd too. It has three holes in the base of the stud (stud is hollow in the center), head all black. Torso and Legs stamped Lego. Does not appear the bag was resealed. Basically got this figure for nothing so doubt anyone would go to the trouble of resealing. Anyone else have a similar experience?

Been a bit since I linked photos so here we go. Bag was sealed before kids opened last week. Here is the poly bag Here is a side photo showing the white, not chrome plated part behind the arms on the torso Here is a side photo showing the inside of one leg not plated. Bad picture as hard to focus my phone.

I got the bag and the figure. I can post some pictures

A recent bulk brick purchase included a chrome storm trooper in a poly bag, no number on bag. Kids opened in up and the mini figure is not up to Lego usually standards. The arms and legs are very loose, on the torso behind the arms there are two patches of white (plastic) showing. The helmet does not stick on as well as others. Just seamed kinda odd. Its so bad if I hadn't seen it come out of the bag would think it was not Lego. Did we just get a bad figure or was this the norm for this set? You can see the white plastic inside one of the legs also. Maybe patchy armor good for the front lines.

This looks great. Like that you have a couch in your Lego room! Was not expecting the train round table. Everything looks really good. Like how your city is not too cluttered. Few questions: 1) Which train set is your favorite, with so many would be hard to choose. I am leaning toward your classic Santa Fe set, always liked those passenger cars. 2) How were you able to resist the Star Wars/Space and other themes. Don't see a lot of Lego sets in your collection that aren't City/train related. 3) What is your favorite moc in your city. For me its your train depot....it looks fantastic. 4) What inspired you to moc the Emerald Knight in Blue? I have often thought of doing something similar in all black.

Good to see he is getting back to working on his city. Seams like he has been focused on other things last several months.

Thank you for the link to BrickTracks. Hope to get some replacement axles ordered this week.

I am very interest in seeing this engine house when you build. Great project.

I am unaware of any active top selling themes TLG has chosen to discontinue. If the new pirate set sells well good chance their will be more to follow. The whole Ideas concept is basically free (TLG does pay 1% of the profit to the designer) strike that cheap R&D for TLG. Very smart folks running this company. I would expect to see a small pirate battle pack coming out, 3 figs and a cannon later this year. If that sells well then more sets to follow. To answer the original question, I feel yes an ideas set can revive a discontinued theme.

Nice!

Did anyone actually build these coaches. Would love to see some pictures!

Hello all. Having some issues with my modified Hogwarts express set. Mods include: 1) Replaced wheels of Tender with a power functions motor. IR receiver in Tender also. Added around 50 USA pennies in Tender for weight. 2) Replaced all connections from Technic pins to standard magnetic couplers/bumpers 4) Added three more coaches, similar to original. Basically I powered the tender, added 3 more coaches (one holding the PF battery) and swapped out all the bumpers. The track work is fairly simple. No switches, standard Lego track, layout similar to a dog bone. My problem is the engine is really struggling to pull this train. I can run my modified 60197 (modification is just adding a second set, making the second engine non powered) on this track with no issue. Engine on 60197 is pulling the same number of engines/coaches that are on my modified 75955. From what I have read the Power Functions and Power Up train motors are basically the same thing, with different plugs. I have noticed that the 60197 with its tandem swiveling axles has less resistance on the curves then the non modified coaches of 75955 (only two axles). Few more details 1) modified 75955 has no wheel slip 2) Batteries are fully charged. Would appreciate some guidance. Maybe I'm just asking to much from the motor with my application. Update: Solution I checked the gauge again and found an issue. I had made some DIY axles and some were too short. Once replaced with correct sized ones, train runs like a charm. Wish these were still available from TLG. Will get some more 3rd party and/or from Bricklink.

Feel TLG has listened to its fans and is testing the water on the Pirate Theme with this set. Hopefully demand will remain high for sometime. Would be great to get a few smaller sets and a battle pack or two. If the sales are there, TLG should continue the theme!

That a nice car to find in an old barn! Nice build.

That is a nice setup you have their. Pricing fantastic. Thank you for sharing this link. Looks like there are a few options available with is great!

That is a lot better pricing. Thanks

So I made my first bricks and pieces order about a month ago. When arrived I accidentally ordered twice as many wheels and bearing elements as I needed. Happy accident right? Could only get the bearing element if I went thru replacement bricks option. When I was last on Bricks and Pieces the metal axle 1687 is no longer available (even thru the replacement parts). Before I order on Bricklink, is there a standard size nail or something folks are DIY making their own axles out of? Best price on Bricklink for 20 axles is $1.2 each plus shipping.

Short answer: Yes For me its not can you have enough Lego, its can you have enough of the bricks you actually want. That seams to be my issue lately.

Build it!

Electropie, I like this moc. Very creative and a much better front end then the original build. Are you planning a second modified engine for the rear of this train?

Had a odd thing happen with my modified 7810. I put a power up battery and motor in the engine similar to others. I connected the engine to my hogswart express coaches 75955, the little Technic pins. Running on curves to the right, worked great. Curves to the left, the coaches forced the engine to lean out of the turn and go in two wheels. Have no idea why engine could take curves one direction and not the other. Was kinda funny till the stunt engine crashed into some scenery on my layout. Will be switching to magnetic couplers.

Update: This week was traveling and was able to visit a alternate Lego store. Amazing how similar the store are, even the pick a brick walls. I struck up a conversation with one of the clerks. He said they ran out of 40338 early the first day! It was the fastest they had ever run out of a GWP. Was due to low stock. This makes me feel better and worse at the same time....