I have been watching Titanic MOCs on IDEAS come and go, secretly hoping one would be accepted and come out as a set. When the 10294 Titanic set was sent to me as a review set, I could not believe my eyes! Bypassing any IDEAS creations, LEGO have surpassed my expectations and created their own mammoth 135cm version of the famous doomed luxury liner.
The set comes in 3 sections. Each with it’s own box and set of instructions. At 9090 elements, it is a huge build. And it is satisfying to get the gratification of completing a section – even if one third.
Starting with the bow, I was blown away by the clever calculations made to recreate the correct angles. Everything clips together without gaps. The lines are so incredibly smooth. Every step is an absolute treat.
One of the great moments of the build was my realisation that I was building in microscale. Obvious when you know the size of the ship, but picking up on the clever part usage to get fine details of bench seats, deck ladders etc is something that you normally find in architecture sets.
I will also add at this point, that I am a massive fan of the movie Titanic, and seeing deck space used in scenes of the movie come to life in the model is very cool.
Another note is the often challenged illegal technique of placing a tile sideways into the stud groove. This is used in this set as a wall near the bridge.
The final model is truly a work of art. There is really just too much to show in such a review. Where the model divides into 3 sections are internal details of the decks, including lounges, suites, the swimming pool, furnaces and working engines.
It is truly a masterclass. I cannot word it any other way. The design, the detail, the lack of repetition. There was only one section that was repetitive enough to note, and that was the portholes on the side of the ship. But one small factor in an otherwise perfect build.
So, we get to the nitty gritty. I have been gushing from the start. What are the negatives? One challenge is the footprint. At 135cm, it is huge! And this set needs to be showcased! So you really need to find a great space for it.
And the price. $1000 is a big chunk of change.
So, I asked myself, would I spend $1000 on a set. First answer. No.
Then I asked myself, would I rather this or 8 medium sets? Titanic wins.
Would I rather this or 4 large sets? Titanic wins.
Titanic, in all it’s glory and detail and commanding presence is a Lego must. And in saying that, once built – the detail and smooth lines make it easy to forget it is actually Lego.
PerthLUG are showing off this beauty at this year’s Bricktober – 9th and 10th of October at Curtin Stadium. Come down and check it for yourself.
Perth Lego Users Group 