TLCB is way out of its depth today. This is the ‘Aetherium Arcana’, a floating mechanical marvel filled with curiosities and ingenuity, and about which we know nothing…
We are absolutely not the Lego site to do Jesse Gros (aka Westside Lego Daddy)’s spectacular ship amongst the clouds justice, but before his astounding creation appears on the sites that can, here’s a chance for a closer look at this incredible floating whimsy.
Held in an enormous temporary structure in London’s Hyde Park, the ‘Great Exhibition ‘ of 1851 was a triumphal showcase of the British Empire. Sponsored by the world’s first soft drinks company, featuring the world’s first public flushing toilets (which cost a penny to use, hence the phrase ‘spend a penny’), and with the world’s largest diamond at its centre, the equivalent of one in three of Britain’s entire population visited the exhibition during its five-month run.
Exhibits ranged from art, jewellery, and ornaments from across the Empire, to the world’s first fax machine, the world’s first voting machine, prototype Colt revolvers, and a weather forecasting machine powered by leeches. Because 1851.
Cue this astonishing creation by bartsbrickworks of Flickr, who has reimagined the Great Exhibition (and the remarkable Crystal Palace that housed it) in a LEGO Adventurers / steampunkish universe. There might not be leeches, but a steampunk submarine, space rocket, and time machine are amongst the varied exhibits on display to an enthralled crowd of mini-figures, with much of the model motorised to bring the contraptions to life.
There’s so much more of this incredible build to see at Bart’s ‘The Crystal Palace’ album, and you can purchase your ticket to an amazing exhibition of wonder and whimsy via the link above.
Passing wind never smelt so good. Elven* adventurers Eol Skydiver and Kaledor Tesliar are traversing the atmospheric circulation in their magicanical botanical airship. We know not how it works, not where they’re going, but we’re delighted to float alongside them. Dwarlin Forkbeard is the director of this aeronautical adventure and you can join him, Eol and Kaledor via the link above.
*TLCB Elves must be a different sort. Their wind makes your eyes hurt.
This whimsical machine is a Coupris Kineema, a fictional motor carriage from ‘Disco Elysium’, just one of the countless video games we, um… haven’t played.
A cursory Google indicates that mahjqa’s Town-style recreation is a fabulous interpretation of the ‘real’ thing, and you can find it, along with free building instructions, at mahjqa’s ‘Coupe Kineema’ album on Flickr. Click the link above to take a look, and here to see what makes the builder tick.
This TLCB Writer thought they might be still drunk this morning, because what it appeared one of the Elves brought back to the office was – and this is going to sound crazy – a giant train riding not upon wheels and tracks, but fifty protruding centipede-like legs.
After a drink of water and some time away however, we can confirm that much to our surprise it is indeed what the mind of Vince_Toulouse has conjured.
Entitled the ‘Myriapodotrain’, four interconnected carriages are suspended over the aforementioned legs, each of which is a piece from the long (and best) forgotten ‘Insectoid’ range.
An exterior of deep red and gold, domed windows, and some delightfully extravagant mini-figures add to the whimsy, and you can climb aboard Vince’s remarkable transportation system via the link in the text above.
This marvellous contraption is a ‘Brickston Police Doubledecker Bumblebee’, and it might be the most delightfully absurd aircraft that this site has ever featured.
From the mind (and hands) of Markus Ronge, the Bumblebee forms part of an expansive brick-built story that continues from the ‘Full Steam‘ series that featured here extensively back in 2018-’19.
We’ll be following Markus’ ‘Netbrix Original Series’ as it unfolds this year, until then you can join the Brickston Police’s airborne squad via the link above. It’s Full Steam ahead!
This is the ‘Torcher’, a curiously branded steampunk tank arrangement about which we know nothing. However had we not have blogged this giant flamethrower tank thingy, the Elves would’ve have started a riot. Plus, let’s be honest, it is really cool. Previous bloggee Markus Ronge is the owner of this ‘Torcher Octan Heavy Snow Tank’, and you can find out what it’s for (and view some rather stunning imagery) at his Flickr album of the same name. Click the link above to torch some snow or something!
What better way to travel the globe than in an, er…. travelling globe! Suspended beneath the LEGO Ideas 21332 Globe set, Kristof has created a beautifully well-matched steampunk ship, complete with a variety of appropriately whimsical steampunk accompaniments. Take flight on Flickr via the link above!
He might sound like something from the Urban Dictionary, but Windle Poons is in fact the oldest wizard of Ankh-Morpork’s Unseen University faculty, with an age of well over 120. Fortunately Windle’s mobility is aided by a magnificent wheeled chair complete with a variety of horns, which even saw service in battle during one of Ankh-Morpork’s regular magical crisis. Recreated here by Eero Okkonen, who sounds fairly wizardy himself, Windle’s chair looks marvellous in brick form, as does the mystical centenarian himself. Take a trip to the Disc’s finest university of befuddled old men via Eero’s photostream at the link above.
This gloriously grey steamer comes from Daniel Church of Flickr, whose ‘Chumdinger’ steampunk tugboat plies the dirty waters of a Victorian Thames. And what waters they are too, with Daniel creating the bow waves and paddle churn absolutely beautifully in trans tiles. That’s not a very ‘TLCB’ thing to write, as we’re normally focussed on engines and whatnot, but fortunately the Chumdinger has one of those too, with the pistons pumping and paddle turning brilliantly via a hidden Power Function motor. There’s more to see of Daniel’s superb creation at his photostream – click the link above to head to the past on London’s river.
This is a walking cottage, designed to survive the spider apocalypse. Because of course it is. Letranger Absurde owns the mind behind it and there’s more to see at his photostream on Flickr. Click here to go cottaging. Sorry, we mean here. We’re nothing if not educational!
Markus Ronge is back! Creator of the spell-binding Netbrix epic ‘Full Steam‘, Markus has returned bringing Mortal Engines into the brick. And the finest photo editing you will find anywhere in the Lego Community.
The ‘Jenny Haniver’ is a stunning demonstration of this; an enormous sky-fi airship packed with incredible building techniques and a phenomenal attention to detail, surpassed only by the way it is presented.
Sailing through the clouds Markus’s build looks as though Lego has come to life, and that surely is the definition of the art. An enormous gallery of images is available to view on Flickr, showing how this amazing model was constructed (very carefully we would think) and the details within it.
Head skywards via the link in the text above.
The mind of Vince_Toulouse is a magical place. After his Walking Bus featured here last month – a creation that should be rather terrifying yet appears utterly delightful – he’s back with another steampunky insectoid.
No, not those Insectoids, but his latest creation does draw upon an even more pointless and short-lived theme, with a few Galidor parts proving that even the worst LEGO sets of all time can be put to good use.
Vince’s ‘Cricket Automobile’ looks a lot more spidery than crickety to us, even though it has the cricket-correct six legs, but whatever its animal equivalent it looks marvellous. See more at Vince’s ‘Cricket Automobile’ album on Flickr via the first link in this text.
If you’re going to catch a bug, it may as well be as big one. Flickr’s Vince_Toulous owns the mind behind this ‘Myriapodobus’, which is complete with a lavish interior and a great many legs. With the passengers all having caught it there’s no need for them to enact ‘social distancing’ so they can have a chat over a drink from the bar-segment. That said, as no one really likes sitting next to one another on the bus, letting alone talking to fellow passengers, we’re not sure Coronavirus has made any discernible difference to public transport etiquette. Catch Vince’s bug for yourself via the link above.
This is a steampunk snail (of course it is) and that’s about all we can say about Andreas Lenander‘s latest build. You’ll have to head to his photostream via the link above to ask the inevitable questions, like ‘But… why?’, and ‘How fast is it?’, and ‘But… why’? again. Do just that via the link.