Category: LEGO Ideas

Among LEGO’s larger vehicular sets, trains have a prominent spot that’s well beyond just a niche. It’s understandable, given the overlap between train-loving LEGO collectors and model-train aficionados. Some sets even have provision for adding Power Functions. While LEGO has been making great train sets already, their LEGO Ideas submission platform isn’t lacking in possibilities either. The Third 2021 Review Stage from last year saw a 10-K product idea depicting the historical Union Pacific Big Boy. This First 2022 we already have a Polar Express. But a new submission with 10,000 supporters looks to steal the spotlight on it now.

Ideas member Manuel9000 brings us a LEGO train that’ll easily gain attention from having turned its tracks upside-down. His build depicts the suspension monorail based from Wuppertal, Germany. The Wuppertaler Schwebebahn is the world’s oldest electric elevated railway with hanging cars, having been in operation since 1901. Its route covers 13.3 kilometers connecting two Wuppertal streets, with an entire trip lasting around 30 minutes. The railway and its electric cars have been upgraded in its 120 years of service. Manuel9000 notes that his 10-K product idea could be the first LEGO model for the Schwebeban.

The Wuppertaler Schwebebahn build depicts the train system in use since 2016. Blue railcars hang from its electric monorail suspension, above a station platform with commuters and staff. According to Manuel9000, accurate scaling had to give way to accommodating LEGO minifigures. Passengers can sit inside, hold handrails, and even operate the cockpit controls. This set however is a static display with immobile joints and suspension. Nevertheless, it looks very impressive, and maybe LEGO Ideas could find a way to make things more mobile. Of course, that means passing First 2022 Review, and that’s challenging enough with its ever increasing submissions.

In terms of LEGO builds, the more moving parts and gimmicks it has, the more dynamic/”alive” they feel. Buildable animals or structures are cool, but you need moving parts if you want to do more than display sets. For that you usually go for LEGO vehicles, but that’s not a general rule. Among the prospective sets in LEGO Ideas First 2022 Review, we’ve got a brick-built toilet with working flush. For the more “traditional” vehicle build there’s a car that transforms into a jet (without adding/removing/swapping pieces). A new submission with 10-K support shows off some similarly impressive brick mechanics.

From Ideas member Homo Brickus, we have this “Adventure Box” set ready for review. Old hands at handicraft/mechanics might recognize this build. It’s a multi-deck storage on a cantilever, which opens up when the handle on the cantilever frame swings one way. The adventure box on the other hand is dual-cantilever. That provides seven containers stacked into four layers. There’s a big tray at the bottom, and two smaller trays side by side on each upper layer. Homo Brickus based his build on an old sewing case used by his mother. It’s certainly an oldie, rejuvenated by colorful LEGO-brick construction, making it a sturdy build.

This Adventure Box could serve as a neat storage for LEGO minifigs and loose pieces. Homo Brickus even proposes options for customization. The lid covers at top could have changeable tile designs. Furthermore, those lids could serve as platforms for LEGO building. Thirdly, the dimensions of the Adventure Box allow for installing LEGO Light-bricks. What better way to check the contents with built-in lighting. We’ve said it before, but this is definitely a strong contender for passing review. Time will tell if we guessed correctly.

There are so many ways to classify LEGO sets, and the same goes for the aspirants on LEGO Ideas. Take for instance the current review stage, First 2022. Subject-wise, we’ve got plenty of buildings, some vehicles, a few animals, and so on. Theme-wise, five of the submissions are contemporary/modern-day. Two are sci-fi, another two magical, etc. And of course we have the distinction of original creation and based on existing IPs. This latest product idea with 10K support falls on the latter. Furthermore, the said franchise is a classic, featuring the world’s (original) greatest detective.

We know, that last sentence was a total give-me. Anyway, LEGO Ideas member DreamnBricks got his build “Sherlock Holmes – 221B Baker Street” the 10,000 supporters needed for review. Quite obviously, it depicts the Victorian-era Baker Street, London townhouse where Sherlock Holmes resided in Arthur Conan Doyle’s works.

The building consists of three floors plus attic. Guests/clients were received in the ground-floor reception/library, which opens to the kitchen. Sherlock’s assistant Dr. Watson roomed in the second story. A fireplace where he and Holmes discussed cases is just outside his quarters. Further upstairs, Sherlock had his own bedroom, which opened to his private office and crime laboratory.

Also included in the build is an English carriage for Holmes and Watson, which features a fold-back roof. The two are joined in minifigure form by housekeeper Mrs. Hudson and Sherlock’s nemesis: Prof. Moriarty, Napoleon of Crime. Props dotted all over the townhouse refer to famous cases that Holmes has solved. Sherlock Holmes – 221B Baker Street might be a niche fandom set. But surely enough Holmesian LEGO collectors would be happy if DreamnBricks’ submission passes the First 2022 Review Stage.

Vehicle builds are a popular submission on LEGO Ideas, in hope that reviewers approve them for official set-hood. If you’ve been following us on The Brick Show, you know how many product ideas get into the review stages. For the First 2022 we have several vehicle submissions already. They range from the real-life, to sci-fi, to even steampunk and magical. Still vehicles, like other LEGO build themes, can become tedious the more there are passing 10-K support for review. Somehow a product idea must do something to stand out. If you ask us, this submission by member DarrenJones does that.

A new 10-K supported product idea is this Boeing 747 Cockpit. Like the name says, this is a recreation in scale of the original jumbo jet’s pilot cockpit. Contributor DarrenJones believes this build could make it as a LEGO Ideas set based on initial commentators. The setup makes good use of LEGO elements from the more advanced building systems.

The result is a cutaway view of the 747 cockpit featuring the instrument panel and seats for pilot and copilot. The beauty part is in the amount of details DarrenJones put in the instrumentation, flight controls and even the seats themselves.

Movable piloting yokes, control sticks and levers are just some of the technical features of this 747 Cockpit build. The instrument gauges and displays may not be 1:1 accurate, but they bring genuine sophistication to the setup. The seats are also movable. DarrenJones also adds a name plate that is flanked by male and female pilot minifigures.

The creator sees some necessary alterations should the build be accepted as a LEGO Ideas set. But it must first survive the gauntlet of the First 2022 Review Stage, which isn’t over yet.

For the LEGO Ideas First 2022 Review Stage, the distinction of first buildable animal submission is already taken. And sure, the buildable Koala by legotruman is cute (the accompanying baby, doubly so). But product ideas are constantly racing to reach 10,000 supporters all the time. That determines which submission is the latest addition to any review stage batch. As it happens, a build by 10K Club Member hachiroku24 is the newest buildable animal to join First 2022. This one’s a multiple creature set as well. Some of them might pass for cute like the koalas, but some others…are rather icky.

Well, how else to describe hachiroku24’s LEGO Insects, especially for those who are leery of creepy crawlies? Granted, the colorful LEGO pieces that make up these brick-built bugs make them more approachable. On the other hand, hachiroku24 certainly went for accuracy in depiction. He offers five insects in his batch product idea. Here they are:

Blue Morpho Butterfly

Hercules Beetle

Asian Lady Beetle

Western Honey Bee

Praying Mantis

All LEGO Insect models are free-standing. If you’re interested, hachiroku24 made the Blue Morpho Butterfly and Hercules Beetle to be life-sized. This submission could have some scientific interest especially for young science students. We’ll have to see if the 10-K support proves worth it with the LEGO Ideas review crew in future.

Back in 2004, Warner Bros. Pictures released a computer-animated film directed by Robert Zemeckis. “The Polar Express,” starring Tom Hanks, was a Holiday story presented in an updated animated medium. Where previous computer animation was all-computer, this film used live-action motion-capture to move the animated characters. “The Polar Express” made it to the Guinness Book of World Records because of that. Now, a LEGO Ideas member has submitted a product idea based on the movie. He may have also calculated the timing, based on gaining support and passing review. If lucky, this submission could become an official Ideas set when “The Polar Express” turns 20.

10K Club Member adwind must be proud of his timetable for “The Polar Express 20^th Anniversary”. His build of the titular magical steam locomotive gained 10,000 supporters early 2022. Given the average review period and development time, if approved this product idea could launch on or after 2024. That’s the actual “Polar Express” movie premiere anniversary. Adwind remarks on his product description that his 2,800-piece digital render can possibly be reduced to 2,000. It also has provision for “LEGO Powered Up” L-Motor.

Gimmicks include a plunger-activated gift dispenser and a skiing Hobo minifig on the roof of one train car.

The brick-built Polar Express features the engine, coal tender and three passenger cars. Everything is minifigure-scale to accommodate the eight minifigs of characters from the film (plus a reindeer).

The car roofs and windows are removable to access the train interior for play.

“Polar Express 20^th Anniversary” is the first Ideas First 2022 Review submission to commemorate a franchise milestone. Time will tell if its efforts to become an official LEGO Ideas set by 2024 will bear fruit. Good luck.

We’ve had the honor and pleasure of covering some LEGO Ideas submissions based on anime franchises before. For the most part however, these product ideas depict characters, vehicles etc. from more recent anime properties. Take for instance one of the 10-K-supported submissions for the Third 2021 Review Stage. It was one heck of a depiction of “Naruto,” one of the original “Big Three” 2000s anime, right? But the medium has been around for decades, and we’ve seen anime builds dating from older properties. This new fully-supported product idea from Ideas member Mitsu-san78 really pushes the limit on uncommon anime media.

“Daitarn 3” is a “super robot” anime series from 1978. It was created by Yoshiyuki Tomino before he made the original “Mobile Suit Gundam” anime a year later. Mitsu-san78 gives us his brick-built rendition of the Mach Patrol, a transforming car belonging to “Daitarn 3” protagonist Banjo Haran.

As seen in these images, the Mach Patrol is a police cruiser-like car that turns into the Mach Attacker jet.

Banjo uses it on his crusade to protect Earth from the Meganoids, androids hell-bent on converting humanity to be like them. The Mach Patrol also becomes the cockpit of Banjo’s gigantic solar-powered super robot, the Daitarn 3.

Mitsu-san78 devised a dynamic transformation mechanic for the Mach attacker (as the GIF image demonstrates).

Other gimmicks include a sliding roof like in the anime (though one needs to remove the windshield to insert minifigs).

Speaking of, this product idea comes with six minifigures. We have Banjo (in casuals and pilot suit), his assistants/wannabe-girlfriends Beauty and Reika, butler Garrison, and orphaned ward Totta.

Mach Patrol is an incredibly niche aspiring set, but perhaps the transformation mechanics might win support from reviewers. LEGO does need more anime representation, regardless of year.