Tag Archives: Nick Barrett

Get It Up

Leave a reply

Lego Liebherr Mobile Crane

Nick Barrett’s got a big one. It might not look it here, but this 15-wide Liebherr LTM 1130 mobile crane can grow to almost six feet tall! A four part extending boom is the key to such impressive length, utilising reels of string and a full-length ratchet mechanism (no linear actuators here). The entire superstructure can turn too, allowing the boom to slew left and right whilst the control cab can tilt to enable the driver to look along his huge appendage.

Working suspension on all five axles provides a smooth ride, and helps to keep the boom up when the going gets rough, a V8 piston engine is turned via axle 4, whilst steering on axles 1, 2 and 5 allows the crane to get into tighter positions. That’s quite a list, as Nick’s build is packed with playable features, and you can see more – including photos of the Liebherr in its fully-extended glory – at his MOCpage. Click the link to get it up!

Lego Liebherr Mobile Crane

Ferrari 275 GTB – Picture Special

Leave a reply

Lego Ferrari 275 GTB

This beautiful creation is a near-perfect scale replica of Ferrari’s magnificent 275 GTB, and it comes from a long-lost car builder Thomas Poulsom aka DeTomaso Pantera. Tom’s been busy over the last few years campaigning for his LEGO Ideas Birds project. With his Birds models now in stores around the world it’s great to see Tom back with the genre where we met him.

Lego Ferrari 275 GTB

Built as a collaboration with TLCB legend Nick Barrett this Ferrari 275 replica was commissioned by the owner of the real car, someone who clearly has an equal sharing of money as taste! Being a partly Nick Barrett creation this 275 GTB features a fully working and beautifully engineered chassis underneath the spectacular full-stud bodywork. More details of this will likely surface soon, but until then you can check out the stunning exterior images via Tom’s Flickr photostream at the link above, plus you can read more about the builder (and his past collaboration with Nick) in the very first entry in our Master MOCers series here.

Lego Ferrari 275 GTB

853 Redux

3 Replies

Lego Technic 853 Set

Our review of LEGO Technic’s 853 / 956 Car Chassis set is the most viewed individual page on the whole of The Lego Car Blog. It might have been flawed, but 853 is the grandfather of LEGO’s Supercar range, without which we probably wouldn’t have had some of LEGO’s best ever sets.

Previous bloggee, Master MOCer and Lego Professional Nick Barrett thinks it’s the most important set LEGO have ever made, and he’s given it and brilliant re-boot for the modern age. Updated using the latest Technic parts Nick’s 853 redux costs about half as much as the original 1977 set, yet retains all of its charm.

There’s an inline four-cylinder motor up front, a two speed gearbox in the middle, rear-wheel-drive, working steering and adjustable seats, all as per the original set. We think it’s the perfect candidate for the LEGO Ideas platform, and if you think so too you can let Nick know; take a trip to either MOCpages or Flickr to see more.

The Last of the LR Defenders

1 Reply

Lego Land Rover Defender

Land Rover’s brilliant Defender dies next year, after more than 50 years of continual production. In celebration of this amazing vehicle MOCpage’s Nick Barrett has recreated the iconic off-roader in its final 2015 specification. His long-wheelbase 110 Station Wagon includes the four-cylinder turbo-diesel powering the last generation of cars, opening doors, hood and tailgate, plus folding seats working steering and working suspension. There’s lots more to see at Nick’s MOCpage – click the link to take a look.

Lego Land Rover Defender

Become a Lego Professional!

Leave a reply

Lego Bright Bricks

It’s Easter weekend and TLCB Team are much too full of chocolate eggs to blog. Luckily for us we’ve been joined by a special guest to keep the content coming. Yup, it’s No.3 in our How to Become a Lego Professional series!

Not put off by his first encounter with TLCB Elves, Nick Barrett joined us here at TLCB Towers for a second time to tell the next chapter of his incredible Lego-building journey.

Since his last visit as a Master MOCer Nick has been hired by the Certified LEGO Professional building company Bright Bricks and is now earning a living through his building. How did he do it? Click the link below to find out!

Click here to read Nick Barrett’s Bright Bricks Story…

Bricks in Motion Picture Special

Leave a reply

Lego Bricks in Motion

One of The Lego Car Blog’s very favourite builders has taken the brave – and often envied – step into the world of professional Lego model making. Certified LEGO Professionals Bright Bricks can now count the ridiculously talented Nick Barrett amongst their building staff. Nick joined the Bright Bricks team bringing a wealth of vehicular knowledge, which they’ve put to excellent use in their latest commissioned project, ‘Bricks in Motion’.

Bricks in Motion is taking place at the Milestones Museum in Hampshire, UK until the end of April 2015, featuring many creations by Nick, as well as few other builders including regular bloggee Ralph Savelsberg.

Lego Ambulance

Nick’s creations include working vehicles commonly seen in the UK, such as this Mercedes ambulance (above), and JCB (below)…

Lego JCB

 …as well as themed creations from around the world, like these brilliant Lego taxis.

Lego Taxis

There are also a few nods to some of the most important vehicles of history, including famous ships and trains, such as the widely recognised pioneer of steam travel, Stephenson’s Rocket.

Lego Stephenson's Rocket

There’s lots more to see at Nick’s MOCpages account and you can see what’s on at the Bricks in Motion exhibition – including their children’s building activities and Mindstorms robotic workshops – via the link in the text above.

If you think that becoming a professional Lego model maker might be for you, then you can read our interviews with some of those who have gone pro by clicking this link to our Interviews page.

Minor Marvel

3 Replies

Lego Morris Minor

It’s been a week without any cars here at The Lego Car Blog, but the Elves sure have made amends today. This glorious 1960 Morris Minor 1000 is the work of friend of TLCB and one of our Master MOCer builders, the incredible Nick Barrett. Nick’s work has featured here countless times over the last two years, and today’s creation takes Lego vehicles to a new level of realism.

Months in the making, Nick’s latest creation is based upon a real 1960 Morris Minor 1000 nicknamed ‘Bluebell’ that he used to own in the 1990s. Under the unusually textured – and incredibly accurate – full-stud bodywork lies some truly inspirational Lego engineering. Working steering, suspension (live axel four link at the rear), opening (and locking) doors, bonnet and boot-lid, a working handbrake, adjustable seats, four speed gearbox and even motorised operational windscreen wipers all feature in a triumph of clever packaging.

Lego Morris Minor A-Series Engine

Underneath the beautifully curved bonnet sits a fully detailed Austin/Morris A-Series engine operated by a Power Functions motor that drives the rear wheels through the four speed gearbox. Featuring a working crank and pistons, camshaft, pushrods, rockers and valves it’s undoubtedly one of the greatest engines ever built from Lego. Nick has even made it easily removable so it can function as model and educational aid in its own right.

Lego Morris Minor 1000

Nick has included a wealth of photos and further information on this astonishing build at both his Flickr and MOCpages accounts. You can see all the images and join in the discussion by visiting either of the pages linked above, plus you can read what happened when we interviewed Nick earlier in the year for The Lego Car Blog’s Master MOCers Series by clicking here.

 

A Forking Good Time

2 Replies

Lego Technic Forklift

One of our favourite builders, the Technic genius Nick Barrett, is back with two beautifully engineered forklift trucks. Each is loaded with Technic functionality, which Nick has used to hoist a rival, and most excellent, Lego blog’s logo. You can see Nick’s latest work on both MOCpages and Flickr.

We’re also delighted to announce that some of our Elves cornered Nick Barrett last week, and the result is that he joins The Lego Car Blog’s Master MOCers Series as our 8th Master MOCer!

Click here to read Nick’s Master MOCer interview!

Lego Technic Forklift

True Blue

Leave a reply
Lego Ecurie Ecosse Transporter
Today’s post is by Nils O, who makes his second appearance as a guest blogger (thank you Nils for both your suggested creation and for your writing talent). If you’re reading this and think you’d like to have a go too, contact us, TLCB is one of the most accessible Lego blogs around.

This is the latest addition to the big common project “Classic Race Teams” founded two years ago by Ape Fight on MOCpages. Nick Barrett started his LEGO version of the “Ecurie Ecosse” team in November 2011 with the fanstastic 1959 Commer team transporter and added a matching Jaguar D Type one year later.

Now he’s completed the team with a second Jaguar D Type, four team members and a lot of equipment. The stars of the team are, of course, the cars and the transporter. The Jaguars are packed with all the Technic functions you need: Engine, transmission, suspension and steering, whilst the transporter has a powered main ramp, a working engine, steering with two different HOG mechanisms and a complete interior.

Check out the completed team on MOCpages and don’t forget to look at the details of the transporter and the Jag too.

Nick will be exhibiting his complete team at the 2013 Great Western Lego Show (GWLS) at STEAM in Swindon, UK on the 5th and 6th of October. Type ‘Great Western Lego Show’ into your search engine to find out more and book tickets. If you’re really (un)lucky you may even see a TLCB Elf…
Lego Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar

A Grand Father Clock and a Basket of Eggs

Leave a reply

Lego Citroen 2CVFriend of The Lego Car Blog, Nick Barrett, is back with – surprisingly – something he has built twice before. This glorious Citroen 2CV is his third version of the French Peoples’ Car. Each iteration has improved upon the last, and this latest incarnation is about as close to the real thing as you could hope to achieve in LEGO.

Underneath the wonderful two-tone pinstriped bodywork is one of the most thoroughly engineered chassis we’ve ever seen, complete with fully independent suspension, front wheel drive, ackerman steering, rear angled kingpins and sliding cardan joints. All of this means the suspension is as beautifully supple as that found on the real car – which was designed to carry a basket of eggs across a ploughed field without them breaking. Nick decided eggs are a bit too easy though, and opted for a grand father clock to demonstrate the Citroen’s remarkable suspension, and a quip about the 2CV’s performance stats. View what might be the car of the year at MOCpages.

Front Wheel Drive Pioneer

1 Reply
Citroen Traction Avant

Before the French decided to monopolize crummy hatchbacks...

The Elves have been searching far and wide recently, but returned to one of their favourite haunts in order to bring back this; MOCpages user Nick Barrett’s Traction Avant; Citroen’s 1930s masterpiece. This was the first mass produced car to have front-wheel drive. And it had independent suspension. Americans are only just getting round to fitting these to their cars 75 years later.