Custom LEGO BrickHeadz - Hawkeye

Video Link: Custom LEGO BrickHeadz - Hawkeye

With Thor done it is time to add Hawkeye to the Avengers team in BrickHeadz form. Not the most interesting addition in terms of building. I do like how the hair turned out though. The one thing that would have benefited the build the most would be printed bricks for the chest.

"Better clench up Legolas"
- Iron Man, The Avengers

Custom LEGO Modern Metroliner Passenger Train

Video Link: Custom LEGO Modern Metroliner Passenger Train

One set I loved as a child was my 4558 Metroliner 9V set. I actually don't remember what happened to it, but today I'm showing off a modernized version of it that will service my City's middle loop.

My layout doesn't have any 9V compatible tracks so rather than buy the original again (at today's crazy prices) and butcher up such a classic set with Power Functions, I went with making a more modern looking version from scratch as more of a tribute. The major change aesthetically is the swap from old light grey to black and now the main locomotive no longer houses any passengers.

Primary locomotive, passenger car,
passenger luggage car, secondary control cab

I went with a passenger-less primary control locomotive. The idea being that the entire area is taken up by motors and electrical systems and other complicated technical train engine stuff.

The passenger car is structurally very similar to the one from the original set but mine has brick built doors that are not functional.

The club car... I mean the combined passenger and luggage car is obviously inspired by the original set 4547 Railroad Club Car, that was sold separately to the Metroliner. I never owned it myself and I still don't... BUT this is kinda close design wise. I really didn't think sleeping quarters would be required for my use as an inner city train.

The final part is the secondary control cab which can also house a smaller amount of passengers. Where I live nearly all our passenger trains share the control cab and passenger space.

Custom LEGO Modular Town Hall 10224

Video Link: Custom LEGO Modular Town Hall 10224

The first modular building I ever got around to building and then soon after expanding by one extra floor is set 10224 Town Hall. A fantastic looking set and a staple for any official modular city block.

Some of the additions I have made are tiling the ground floor auditorium in a black and white striped pattern, continuing the color theme from the main entrance. This includes the use of the newish 2x2 half tiles, also known as triangles. The first time I've ever used them in a set or custom build and they allowed me to not have to go through the trouble of raising the entire build to fit tiles underneath.

For the extra floor I dedicated this to council workers offices. I don't think the mayor can run the city alone and he definitely needed workers to audit forms and prepare permits that would otherwise slow down the progress of building the entire city. Giving them a place to eat and take a break was a good use of the spare space off to the side.

Only a single additional floor added to this modular.

Black and white tiled auditorium floor.
My first use of 2x2 half tiles (triangles).

Inside the new 2nd Floor you'll find
council worker offices and their lunch/break room.

Custom LEGO BrickHeadz - Thor

Video Link: Custom LEGO BrickHeadz - Thor

Tragically missing from the initial and further BrickHeadz Avengers lineups are Thor and Hawkeye, two valuable members of the team. So first up out of my LAB is a tripple take of different Thor variants

"I like it! Bring me another."
- Thor, Thor

"Are you Thor, God of hammers?"
- Odin, Thor Ragnarok

"Bring me THANOS!"
- Thor, Infinity War

Custom LEGO Midnight Sapphire Steam Train (Emerald Night)

Video Link: Custom LEGO Midnight Sapphire Steam Train

Next up from the train yard is a custom skinned steam train which uses set 10194 Emerald Night as the base. I've also added various carriage styles and a caboose to keep things different, despite further learning that these are not present on British trains.

Like the Hogwarts Express I chose not to butcher the locomotive too much to fit in Power Functions. I still used the standard method of a large motor in the cab to drive the wheels, but instead of installing the IR Receiver in the boiler, breaking up the smooth lines, I swapped it into the tender where the battery box would usually go to look ugly, covering it with the coal the engine would use to go. The battery box is now in the first carriage which is a combination luggage and passenger car. The only negative is that there is a cable running between all the components. But I feel this is better than sacrificing the look of the brick built models.

Combines luggage and passenger car, perfect
for hiding a power functions battery box

Almost exact copy of the original passenger car.
Substituting in some cheaper window frames and glass.

A caboose that isn't meant to be!

Benny's LEGO City Update #5 - Suburban Train Station

Video Link: Benny's LEGO City Update #5 - Suburban Train Station

City progress is good progress, especially when it involves anything in the trains department. One of my first completely custom built from scratch projects is this suburban train station, the first of 3 going into my city and the smallest.

This is modeled after a typical train station you would find in the inner suburbs of Melbourne. As a kid I used to love just hanging out at a station fence with my Grandpa and watch the trains arrive and the passengers head off to whatever adventure awaited. I was always jealous and wanted to go on a train just for the ride.

When I was older and before I had a car of my own I used to walk to the local station and wait for the train to take me to the football games. Many times after the game ended, with a rush of patrons to catch the first train, I had to stand in the rain because there was often minimal undercover areas and i usually didn't bring my umbrella. I have built this station reminisce of those times with almost no shelter from the elements.

Something I've noticed over the years is the growing popularity and use of of abstract architecture when building or renovating the real world stations. I've contributed my own azure and dark green design theme when it comes to this, and some of the abstract work is very obvious in the pillars of the foot bridge.

The station platforms are far enough apart (10 studs) to allow my widest trains to pass through, mainly sure to wheel cranks and piston rods on the steam trains.

A lot of the ballasting details still need to be finished but they are definitely on the way... any minute now... I swear!

A view across the platforms with the 
ever important vending machines.

Abstract bridge architecture. Hopefully it holds up.

Automated ticket machines, now accepting tap and go!

Please stand behind the yellow line until
the train has come to a complete stop.

While my train station system is 33.3% completed, with the next one being a bit bigger and then the main station planned to be an absolute behemoth I still have my work ahead of me.

Chattin' About Stuff - LEGO Movie 2 BrickHeadz

  Video Link: Chattin' About Stuff - LEGO Movie 2 BrickHeadz

BrickHeadz have without a doubt been one of my favorite new themes of the last couple years. They captured the same addictive completionist feel that the Pop Vinyls game me before. And it is just so easy to get into the MOC scene with this format. Last year I made a video showing one of my very first BrickHeadz MOCs which was Benny the 1980's something space guy from The LEGO Movie.

In that video I announced my plans to make Emmet and Wyldstyle as well, but that LEGO will probably read my mind and make them officially. Well I should have bought a lottery ticket instead because they've gone and released them all in the wave of LEGO Movie 2 sets (see pics below).

41634 Emmet

41635 Wyldstyle

41636 Benny... the 2nd version :P

 

41637 Sweet Mayhem

As always I'm looking forward to adding these to my collection and despite my previous plans being thwarted, my plan B is to customize these in different ways based on a few new looks from the new movie.