My Winter Village Project

Switchfoot55

Pictures to follow, but I have my base set up with various elevations, my snow blanket arranged, train tracks fitted, base plates down, and all the previous buildings at least on the table. There is a lot of disorganization, but it's fun to already have it out and coming together. 

My kids have spent the better part of 2-3 hours a day for the last few days playing around with their favorite buildings and figs. It's a back and forth mental struggle letting them play with it (they are TOYS after all) and now wanting them to touch it at all. The play side of my brain (with great support from my wife) seems to be winning more often. 

I've decided to hold off on ballast for my track until after the new year as there is just too much else going on. However, for the immediate future, I need to decide the best way to help hold down the curves of my train track. Any good suggestions out there?

autolycus

@Switchfoot55 I was just researching the track question myself. The simplest answer I found was to use is either 2x2 turntables (they do come in white bottoms with LBG tops and aren’t too expensive on Bricklink) or 1x2 or 2x2 jumper plates.

I think I’m going to get a bunch of 2x8 white plates to deal with the straight track sections and then one of the above solutions for the curves. FWIW, the track can actually handle a little bit of a rise, so it’s theoretically possible to just secure the straights directly to the baseplate and the curves raised 1 plate, or even just resting on top of the base plates. I’m guessing the straights secure will be strong enough if you’re just doing a basic oval.

The big question, of course, is whether you can get them quick enough.

Infinityman

Here's an album of our setup! Happy Holidays, everyone!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kn3AJskFRGDckRNK7

autolycus

Now that I have a 30"x40" surface to work with, and a decent track oval, I am starting to do a little more research into how best to handle certain things. Long term I may make some different decisions, so I will spend a lot of time going back through this thread for ideas. In the short run though:

How do people handle the train tunnel and mountain? Are you just using a basic train tunnel (or other non-Lego setup) and then covering with battling, flannel, etc. to make a little more mountain-y look? Or are you brick-building? Or using a tunnel with brick-built facade around it?

As a quick fix, I'm thinking of just ordering a tunnel piece from a guy on Etsy and then just draping some batting down the sides.

In the long-term, I may put some planning into a brick-built mountain using bricks, BURPs, MURPs, and lots of various slopes. I see that white BURPs are available but very expensive, so I think DBG MURPs and BURPs with white slopes could look ok as a very rocky mountain with some snow and ice cover. Does anybody have recommended sites for a guide to mountain building (with tunnel, of course)? Otherwise I may just take a look through the Hogwarts manual and see if I can adapt from there.

thenos

@autolycus

I would love some guide too. Yesterday my son and I just started dinking around and built a very basic mountain over some tracks. It turned out ok but wasn't really planned. Basic idea was duplo supports with 16x16 plates on top, then building a facade in the limited space. It was a lot of bricks just for one side of the facade, and then we covered the top in white bricks. I like it though. Nice to add some height to the village. 

Switchfoot55

^Great question on the tunnels! 

If you go back a couple of pages, you can see some build pictures from my current layout. I have elevated platforms that I've then covered in a "snow blanket" (or batting) to make get rid of the wooden supports and make it appear like a snow covered wonderland. Last year I also added brick-built tunnel entrances. My grand design includes all brick-build mountains/tunnels. But, one step at a time. 

There are other pictures in this thread with brick-built variations of mountains/tunnels. Pintrest is also full of great ideas that you can use for inspiration or for actual designs. 

As with most larger layouts, the cost for something like a brick-built mountain, or train ballast, or covering your entire base with white plates can start to add up quickly. Hopefully you're able to find what works for you!

autolycus

Thanks @Switchfoot55, I will look back a few pages. For the short-term I just ordered the 3d printed tunnel sections that I was looking at. They're a little pricey, but probably not any worse than what brick-built will run. It gets me started much faster, and batting will look just fine, I think.

Switchfoot55

Mind sharing a link for these tunnels you speak of?

colay

Infinityman said:

Here's an album of our setup! Happy Holidays, everyone!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kn3AJskFRGDckRNK7

The L an R speakers are crying out for ski slope surrounds for minifigures to ski down :)

autolycus

Switchfoot55 said:

Mind sharing a link for these tunnels you speak of?

Of course not!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/798007103/tunnel-for-lego-scale-train

They're pretty basic but look nice. I did message the creator and he said they'll easily hold one of the WV sets on top of a single section. I ordered two 5" straights and enough curve to cover 90 degrees--I could have saved a little money doing a 10" straight, but I wanted the flexibility. I'll report back when I get them. I will have to get creative for the corner behind the curve section, but it shouldn't be too hard to fill in with something as simple as a cardboard box that I trim to the right height and also cover with the same sheet of batting.

Edit: I will admit I'm a little nervous about the height clearance, but as best as my quick research says: the train is <4" tall, so even with the track fully decked out I would have plenty of height. Disney train is ">4inches", so I think I'm fine with that one too.

flord

This is probably a question for the marketplace but is anyone here planning a trip to the LEGO store who can pick me up a pack of pink elves from the BAM bar? My nearest LEGO Store is 6 hours away. My village needs some female elves because it is quite the sausage party right now.

Switchfoot55

@flord I'll keep my eyes open. As of last week, they still had Halloween figs out. If I see them on my next trip, I'll grab a pack of them and touch base with you. 

flord

^ Thank you!

WhiteDove

For mountain building ideas, have a look at this thread on Eurobricks:

https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/178182-wip-winter-diorama-update-7-pine-tree/

If you follow the links to his youtube page, he has videos of the full build of his mountain and landscapes. Watching and pausing at each step will give you a fantastic amount of information on how to build them. Definitely parts intensive and therefore expensive, but oh so beautiful!!

He is also on instagram @brix_tof

MCNwakeboard

The monorail sleigh is a work in progress. 

eMJeeNL

that monorailsleigh is awesome!!

this isn’t:

Whoever signed off on this new design of instructions???

autolycus

Oooff, yeah, I like the new box design, but it shouldn't have carried over to a black background in the instructions. The light blue is much better. It's a color that offers contrast with most piece colors that are in common usage. And that's even coming from someone who uses dark mode on most of my devices.

autolycus

Well, the residents of my WV had a dramatic and exciting day. Thankfully there were no minifigure fatalities.

This is the first year I’ve had a full train loop, so it’s also the first time I’ve had a motor on the train. A group of villagers were very excited to see the first functional train in their town’s history. They were then horrified to see it derail at high speed and explode on the floor. Thankfully it was a proper no-figure safety test with just the engine and tender car, so nobody was harmed, and the rest of the rolling stock is still in perfect shape. It’s going to be very hard to convince any of them to ride the train.

Here’s the station with a view of the rehabilitated engine coming out of the mountain tunnel. I think the Gingerbreads are going to get the hilltop property.

autolycus

After the train incident, my villagers made sure the Fire Station was the next building to go up. The Fire Chief’s calming presence has eased their concerns and they’re now happy to take rides on the train. They are also starting to play in the snow and set up the Christmas Market (I only have the big tree GWP from last year and the small market with the tiny toy train set, so it’s going to be a very small market until I cave and Bricklink the proper market or there’s a new version).

So far I’m happy with the tunnel pieces I ordered. Very glad I got two 5” straights instead of a 10” one. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to fit the crossing anywhere. Unfortunately the station and crossing need at least 3 straights to be next to each other.

Still have to add batting on the hill and finish the Gingerbread House and buy and build ECH. I’m considering putting the nutcracker on the hill as a sort of Christmas version of the Christ the Redeemer overlooking town.

Switchfoot55

Those tunnel sections look fantastic! Though, in your first picture, the clearance does seem to be cutting it rather close!

autolycus

Switchfoot55 said:

Those tunnel sections look fantastic! Though, in your first picture, the clearance does seem to be cutting it rather close!

Yeah, it’s ~1/8” or a hair more clearance. That’s with the tunnel resting directly on the same surface as the track. It’d be really easy to lift the tunnel as part of a ballast setup. (I wouldn’t actually ballast the track inside the tunnel, but raising it would look more seamless if done as part of ballast-ing.

eMJeeNL

So, in the end i decided to not move into the shelves of our cabinet this year, but use a not-in-use playtable i built a couple of years ago. First draft:

Speedman29

Speedman29 said:

As i've said before on here, I don't have space for a WV setup over the festive period, but we do lay a bit of track around the tree and put the WV station out. I quite like the look of this years set and might have to add it to the side of the tracks. I have plans to build another wagon for the train after making the hot chocolate tanker the other year. I'm wondering if its time to make the reindeer wagon with the new animal mould available.

Well this never happened! The new reindeer is only £5 on BAP, but never in stock. BL in Europe has loads at £15 each, so maybe for next year! 

Salamalex

I thought I’d’winterise’ the treehouse for my winter village. The only problem is - that’s what I started with and I’ve only just finished it. So now the rest of it is going to be: a, done in a hurry b, done badly or c, not done at all. 

JasoMac

I love this thread. I haven't really read much since last Christmas, partially because I wasn't expecting to put anything up this year due to our dining room table (aka Winter Village Central) becoming the Covid remote learning center for my son. However, he is now done with school and we kept all of last year's sets together (in anticipation of a large expansion for this year with a bunch of new sets) so my wife suggested we set up what we had. I also wasn't able to get this year's Winter Village set because they were out of stock by the time I wanted to order it (we always get it for my son's birthday in early December), hopefully they remedy that sometime in the next year and we'll just have two to do for next year. 

I love those tunnel pieces, that was going to be part of my addition for this year, so I will be ordering a few of those and taking a little more time to figure out how to modify the other sets I purchased last year but didn't have time to include. My son (and younger daughter) are having a great time with what's up now so I don't think they're missing anything but this gets the Lego sugar plumbs dancing in my head again about what could be in the future...

autolycus

I just realized I never posted a final picture. I ran out of steam and did a poor job with my batting on the hilltop/tunnel. I have some notes for improvements next year (including a need for a couple 8x16 white plates for the top surface to keep things from tipping over in the batting), but overall I like the effect.

i also really like Santa on the ECH sleigh on their roof, but it’s very precarious. Any bump of the village toppled him. I need to develop a bracket to clamp things down. If only this were all built out of a customizable, buildable system of blocks...

snowhitie

@JasoMac I have been getting the winter village sets after Xmas at a local retailer witha  bit of a discount and then keeping them for the year after. Not sure about availability this year, but might be an option for you too. Hope you will have your table back soon!

I've just finished uploading an album of my Winter Village pictures. Took quite a lot since nobody will be coming to see it in person this year. So for those who like looking at lots of little details, they are on Flickr, on this link.

I've made a massive big mountain with a club-house for Snow Queen, Yeti,... I've used the IKEA/LEGO boxes underneath (pic in the album of what's below for those who want to know). Bit fiddly sometimes but great to prorvide you with bulk.

Behind the tunnel you can see my son's plane & parachute. I was first going to make a space for the Christmas Carrol GWP, but it's pretty handy having a space to get some things to land.

On the other side you can just about see Hogwarts. I made a big Hogwarts castle MOD, and stripped that of the tower & the rocks underneath to make a 'Yule Bal great hall'.

I always like to add some (frozen) water. This year some kids are playing curling, but there are some hockey players around so they can be switched about.

It's been so fun building a 'project' again and my son has been playing with it a lot. Always makes me laugh passing it and seeing what 'mischief' the figures have gotten up to.

Astrobricks

Hope the handles on those curling stones aren’t loaded ;-)

Switchfoot55

Looking great everyone! My pictures of this year's village are forthcoming, I promise. Just putting the final touches on after finally getting my ECH. Had to shift a few things to make it work. So excited with how its come together this year!

snowhitie

Switchfoot55 said:

Looking great everyone! My pictures of this year's village are forthcoming, I promise. Just putting the final touches on after finally getting my ECH. Had to shift a few things to make it work. So excited with how its come together this year!

Looking forward to see it!

Switchfoot55

Still some final tweaks here and there, plus a few more strings of lights to put in. Overall, I'm beyond thrilled! Merry Christmas!



I'll post a few more soon.

snowhitie

@Switchfoot55 that is again beyond awesome. Yours is also always so much fun with so many little stories! Grey Sanya on the coffeeshop, the guy in the lake... Also really like those tire tracks in the snow.

Great job!

autolycus

WOW!!! How big is that table?! And it's completely full of sets! Beautiful work!

Switchfoot55

Thanks @snowhitie, I really appreciate that! 

@autolycus, the table is roughly 7'x3', give ot take. 

In looking back at the pictures, I'm seeing everywhere my kids have played and knocked things around a bit. It's a daily task to reset it...I clearly miss stuff. But, that's part of the fun!

Under the table is a fort for the kids too. I have Christmas lights strung, some comfy blankets, books, pillows. They spend hours up there. Makes my heart happy. 

KungFuKenny

Switchfoot55 said:

Under the table is a fort for the kids too. I have Christmas lights strung, some comfy blankets, books, pillows. They spend hours up there. Makes my heart happy. 

Well, now I want a Christmas Fort...

brickventures

My Winter Village this year, Merry Christmas to all!

milamber

Nice to see everyone's pictures. We moved on 12th December to a new country so mine has had to stay in its boxes this year sadly.

Captain_Eyebrow

I’m doing a bit bolting the barn door after the horses have escaped but here is my first Winter Village offering since 2015 - child related hiatus and a lack of a suitable space.  I’ve installed Light my Bricks kits in the Toy Shop, Bakery, Post Office and Cottage. Some of the lighting choices are a bit flashy for my tastes so they will need changing for statics for 2021!

KungFuKenny

^ The Emerald Night is perfect for delivering Christmas trees!

Captain_Eyebrow

KungFuKenny said:

^ The Emerald Night is perfect for delivering Christmas trees!

It is, the Holiday Train is great but it’s no Emerald Night. This year I need to get to IKEA for some of those white boxes for the raised track bed. I was going to cover the really useful boxes in snowfelt but I ran out of time. 

Switchfoot55

It looks really fantastic! Any chance you have a photo with the lights on?

MeganL

Can't believe I forgot to post this here!  For the first time in four years I finally put together my Winter Village again.  No MOCs, but every Winter Village set released (didn't do the Toy Shop reboot) and every GWP/seasonal that fits with the scene except 40083 (we were traveling at the time and couldn't get to a store).  The train is a combination of 10254 and 10173, as I need another 9V motor to move a train larger than what's there.

Captain_Eyebrow

Switchfoot55 said:

It looks really fantastic! Any chance you have a photo with the lights on?

Yup, it’s not perfect due to the amount of flashing lights (some to be changed for statics in 2021) but you get the idea. The village is gone now and the Tree House is back in its rightful place - also illuminated,

JasoMac

I feel like the Winter Village sets are missing a centerpiece, a "town hall" type set with an old fashioned bell tower or something along those lines. It seems like the Newbury High School set has the right kind of architecture (minus all the creepy detailing and transformation), has anyone modified this set and tried to incorporate it into their village? 

autolycus

JasoMac said:

I feel like the Winter Village sets are missing a centerpiece, a "town hall" type set with an old fashioned bell tower or something along those lines. It seems like the Newbury High School set has the right kind of architecture (minus all the creepy detailing and transformation), has anyone modified this set and tried to incorporate it into their village? 

I agree! The WV Fire Station is currently the closest thing to it. It's a really nice set, so it would be good to add another set of that size and a more "civic" style of architecture.

Fizyx

JasoMac said:

I feel like the Winter Village sets are missing a centerpiece, a "town hall" type set with an old fashioned bell tower or something along those lines. It seems like the Newbury High School set has the right kind of architecture (minus all the creepy detailing and transformation), has anyone modified this set and tried to incorporate it into their village? 

Totally agree.  The only downside to having a building like that is that, in order to really make it a centerpiece set, I feel like it would have to be sized in the $150+ range, which is a huge step up in terms of size and cost for a WV set.  Maybe they could do an anniversary set like Assembly Square was for the modulars, where they have one commemorative set that is larger/more expensive for a year, then go back to the regular size/cost.

TheOriginalSimonB

Village Hall, surely?

panchox1

well, due to a lot of busy/craziness this past fall/holiday season, I never got around to posting pics of my village. So I took some this morn, before the tear down begins:

I've already started to order more parts to extend the mountain further down the back of the layout for next year. Hope to start adding more custom stuff to it in the years to come.

Switchfoot55

^Looks great @panchox1! Did you follow any particular guild/build layout for your mountain/tunnel? I currently have wood platforms that help elevate the back part of my design, which I'll likely keep. But I'd love to get rid of the fluffy snowblanket and just have a brick-built mountain. I've never attempted it before, so I'm a bit intimidated. 

panchox1

nope. I just watched a couple of youtube tutorials on mountain building/rock work and then just went for it. I first built a small rock wall to see if I could get the look I wanted.  Then I attempted to build it on a curve across three base plates. then realized that the plate orientation would be different on the table so I scrapped it. This gave me a bit of practice. After that, I figured out my plate layout, laid track so I could test clearance space with the biggest train engine I had and kinda went from there. I built the ends first, then filled it all in. it has a series of burps and lurps as the foundation in the front and some random wall sections holding it up in the back. when we tear it down, I'll try to get some pictures of the inside for you. yeah, it was pretty much the first time building anything like that. I barely had enough parts to pull it off. And I love the way the snow boarder, Yeti and mountain climber look on it. the fun is in the little details. Really looking forward to extending it next year.