A weekend of LEGO fun at Shildon Brick Show 2024
From trains to dinosaurs to out of this world creations, Shildon Brick Show had some spectacular builds on display this year!
Shildon Brick Show 2024 once again attracted LEGO builders from all across the UK to attend to share their amazing LEGO builds, for families of all ages to enjoy in what remains the UK’s largest free LEGO show.
Maxine’s LEGO zoo
Maxine from Zoo Bricks brought her brilliant LEGO zoo model to Shildon 2024. The zoo had children of all ages frantically looking for all different forms of LEGO animals such as otters and red pandas in their vibrant habitats. The zoo was overlooked by a winter castle, and of course as with any zoo a very busy gift shop for the minifigs to take home a stuffed toy.
Maxine’s display was so good that she was awarded Best MOC (custom model) for Shildon 2024 as voted by fellow LEGO builders displaying at the show.
LEGO trains at Shildon Brick Show 2024
Shildon 2024 also saw the return of LNUR with their huge LEGO train display featuring the very impressive train station that sees trains pass through and then on to the surrounding model countryside.
Their layout features popular UK landmarks as “Brickhenge”, the Angel of the North, and huge train bridge based on the High Level Bridge in Newcastle upon Tyne, along with smaller countyside train stations, and a model build of Locomotion Museum – our venue for the show!
The display features trains that the group themselves have designed and motorised. Among new scenery was a paint factory built by Jules, with a spillage causing some issues for the local livestock!
Are the dinosaurs extinct? Not yet…
Shildon Brick Show 2024 was also honoured to be one of the final outings for the LEGO Jurassic Park display that came accompanied by John Hammond himself.
The display which was featured low to the floor certainly made it easier for little children to see the dinosaurs, with scenery featuring the iconic Jurassic Park visitor centre, and gates from the original JurassicPark. Also dotted around this colossal display were vehicles and scenes from the movies, including this impressive a water display from the recent Jurassic World movies featuring a glimpse of the Mosasaurs reaching out the water. Pterodactyls could be seen attacking visitors in the shopping area of the park too – a very perilous park to visit!
It’s not just size that matters
Shildon is not just about big vast displays, however, and smaller displays can be seen from creative minds, such as Steve’s LEGO Technic and robotic models to solve Rubix cubes, as well as LEGO clown fish that move as well as LEGO space ships, LEGO inca sculptures and scenes dedicated to older beloved themes such as pirates and castles to modern themes such as Star Wars and Harry Potter.
2024 also saw the return of the LEGO Duplo Mechs built by Wonderful Joe – these were very popular at previous shows, and see a mash up of DUPLO animals and popular characters such as Winne the Pooh, Thomas the Tank engine, and even Santa Claus himself fused into Japanese style mech armour inspired by the world of anime.
Andy’s build this year showcased Clarkson’s Farm and lots of little nods to the popular TV show, and Rob’s display of monster trucks really made a splash as his huge mechanical LEGO Monster trucks wowed his minifig crowd spraying mud all over from their big jumps.
Collaborative LEGO displays at Shildon Brick Show 2024
This years show also saw some very impressive LEGO portraits on display as Tony won the award for “best North East Landmark” with his Roker lighthouse LEGO art build, part of the club’s ongoing Brick Tapestry collaborative display.
Brick Alley participants also collaborated on a stackable display of “habitats” dedicated to Famous Brits. There were builds dedicated to many Brits, such as Queen Elizabeth II, George Orwell, Florence Nightingale and many more. However, it was John Lowlsey who took 1st place for his habitat of William Henry Fox Talbot, who was a pioneer of photography.
Other fantastic displays present at Shildon Brick 2024 were the travelling fairground by Craig Smith featuring rollercoasters, carousels and ferris wheels, and other popular theme park rides – are all motorised helping to catch the eye, whilst Chloe also had her amazingly detailed theme park on display too. Chloe’s theme park featured rollercoasters and spinning swings as well as a go kart track and also feature lots of moving mechanisms to bring her display to life.
Another amazingly creative display was by Tristan who mashed his love of LEGO Friends with an out of this world experience of space to give a very psychedelic mixture of space ships, a lunar base and an alien forest which brought a vibrant display of colours and ingenious use of parts.
Ian’s lighthouse and coastal scene added a lot of height to the room, and the build featured lots of super texture to the water to make it look like a surfers’ paradise!
John’s LEGO display of multicoloured tractors brought some humour to his scene as the tractors could be seen holding up traffic to the annoyance of minifigs in his display featuring a motorised LEGO train too.
One display from this years show transported LEGO fans of all ages back in time. John’s vintage LEGO model display featured classic trains running on old style tracks, a classic yellow castle and a LEGO monorail whizzing round classic LEGO buildings such as fire stations, police stations and a very ‘blocky’ LEGO neighbourhood.
Some displays transported people even further back – to medieval times! One display by Tim featured a tavern, along with minifigures hiding out amongst the tree walkways, whilst Andy’s medieval display featured a motorised waterfall and windmill, and his impressive LEGO Lion Knights castle featuring the King himself being escorted by his trusty guards.
Steve’s Sleeping Beauty Castle featured its very own Disney Parade circling the castle, with Santa himself taking centre stage of the Parade. Steve’s Sleeping Beauty Castle is inspired by the Disneyland Paris castle and if you look closely even features the dragon that lives under the castle.
My Geek Street model saw a mixture of modular buildings with MOCs such as Moe’s Tavern from the Simpsons in a celebration of pop culture spanning movies and TV shows all with some spectacular lights to bring this city scene to life.
Text by Craig Daley.