World of Bricks | Holger Matthes

Modelmaking with LEGO …

Enjoy my realistic-looking LEGO^® models!

New book: LEGO-Eisenbahnwelt (cover image)

Rediscover childhood memories!

In autumn, my second book entitled LEGO^®-Eisenbahnwelt: Die 80er Jahre: Modelle – Landschaften – Sets (LEGO^® Train World: The 80s: Models – Landscapes – Sets) will be published by dpunkt.verlag.

About the book:

Everything about the legendary LEGO train series of the 80s.
Detailed panoramic photos of LEGO train landscapes and sceneries
Building instructions for models in the style of the time, also for the current Powered UP system
All sets of the "Grey Era" of the 80s: Info, minifigures, tips

You played with a LEGO trains in the 80s? In this book you will meet your set from back then again! I describe all LEGO train sets of that time and take you into the world of trains and minifigures with large-format panoramic views of LEGO train dioramas.

Building instructions for your own new models in the style of the "Grey Era" inspire you to build them yourself; among them are models that integrate LEGO's latest powered-up motors with Bluetooth control. By the way, such models also run on the current tracks - driving fun for young and old is guaranteed.

Collectors of the sets of the legendary "Grey Era", named after the colour of the tracks, will refer to the book with its detailed list of all sets of the time and lots of background information as a reference.

The book is published in German, but contains many pictures and photos and is easy to read. And maybe there will be another English translation soon?

Go to Partlists for models from the book
The book at dpunkt.verlag (no affiliate link)
The book at amazon.de (no affiliate link)

Loading the inland vessel

12 Volt MOC: River Port

My entry for Brick Train Awards 2022 in the "Best Group or Individual Display" category.

An inland river port with container and bulkload cranes, a chemical plant and old and new buildings in the classic style of the "Grey Era". The small locomotives are driven by mini motors and a Bluetooth hub from circuitcubes.com. The stationary decoupling unit and the mini turntable are powered by old 12 Volt Technic motors which are hidden underneath the platform.

Go to 12 Volt River Port

Vollert Robot DER 100 „Leonhard Weiss“

As part of the OcTRAINber 2021 "Critters" competition, I have created a remote-controlled LEGO model of the Vollert Robot DER 100 "Leonhard Weiss" robot locomotive.

A free building instruction is available.

Go to Vollert Robot DER 100 „Leonhard Weiss“

21046 Empire State Building with light kit from Lightailing

The Empire State Building shines in a new light with lights from www.lightailing.com.

Go to 21046 Empire State Building with light kit from Lightailing

Ball bearings for LEGO Train Wheels

Adding MR52-2Z / MR52-ZZ ball bearings to LEGO train wheels to reduce rolling resistance of my LEGO MOC trains. I also used DIN 913 M5x10 grub screws to fix the ball bearings inside a standard LEGO train wheel holder (part number 2878) … a method invented by Maciej Drwiega and Pepe Nietnagel.

I bought the ball bearings and the crub screws on aliexpress.com

QJ Dampflok von MOULD KING

A look over the edge – MOULD KING trains in review

Go to MOULD KING trains

Driving rod set by Bricks-on-Rails

NEW: Bricks-on-Rails.de offers a driving rod set for my BR 10 steam engine in his online shop.

Red electric engine with Power Functions

12 Volt meets Power Functions: The 12 Volt wheels are printed from the 3D printer and were kindly provided by Marco Dutto from Italy. They caputre the original 12 Volt style but have Technic axle holes on the back. A Technic axle is used to connect the wheels with a regular Power Functions train motor.

Go to 12 Volt trains MOCs

Small orange electric engine

The small electric engine now in orange. The orange train door came in set #60195 or #60258 and here it doesn't matter that the door is only available as 'left door'.

Go to 12 Volt trains MOCs

12 Volt Roundhouse „Bamberg“

12 Volt Roundhouse „Bamberg“ with remote controlled turntable

LEGO sorting units

Storage solutions: HoMa at brickset.com

Huw from brickset.com publishs inside stories of LEGO rooms and sorting concepts of various LEGO fans. On Mai, 18th 2020 my LEGO room was featured.

Go to Storage solutions: HoMa at brickset.com

Mallet Steam Engine

12 Volt trains MOCs

The Grey Era celebrates its 40th birthday in 2020! Congratulations to what is probably the coolest LEGO rail system ever.

Go to 12 Volt trains MOCs

Building instructions for the TEE nose

The Trans Europ Express, Two Versions of the Iconic Train in LEGO

Enrico Lussi encouraged me to help with an article about our VT 11.5 TEE MOCs on BrickModelRailroader.

As little extra I made a building instruction for the complex nose of my VT 11.5 TEE.

Read the full article at brickmodelrailroader.com

VT 11.5 Trans Europ Express (TEE) – YouTube Video

Overview of the Collaboration Train Layout

LEGO Collaboration Train Layout at Bricking Bavaria 2019 in Fürth/Germany on more then 60 qm.

Go to report and videos

TrixBrix R104 switch

Third party track and switches

Track and switches by third party suppliers … an overview

Go to Third party track and switches

VT 11.5 Trans Europ Express (TEE) as LEGO MOC

VT 11.5 Trans Europ Express (TEE)

The famous diesel multiple unit VT 11.5 Trans Europ Express (TEE) as LEGO train MOC.

Go to VT 11.5 Trans Europ Express (TEE)

THE LEGO^® TRAINS BOOK … international variants

Based on the English version futher translations showed up on various markets, e.g. Spain, Italy and (upcomming) Russia. Also, a Chinese version is available as direct translation from the German original version.