LEGO 76405 Hogwarts Express
New Harry Potter collector's model for 500 euros to be released in autumn!
Some highlights from the promobricks article by Max Börnicke.
Max reports that the rumours are true, later this year lego will release 76405 Hogwarts Express, a collector's edition version of the Wizarding World's iconic train to Hogwarts. It'll run a gobsmacking cost of almost 500 EUR here, but there's a selection of exclusive minifigures, with 20 figs in total, and the 9 3/4 train station included to soften the blow. Promobricks has kindly compiled all the details for us...
The Hogwarts Express isn't a new subject to the theme. Since 2001, we've seen a total of eight models at various scales, five of which were minifig scale and one of which included tracks and a motor. The latest version presently on the shelves dates from 2018, has been on the market for nearly four years, and is expected to go EOL soon, discontinued by the end of the year.
But just in the nick of time! Out comes 76405 so we won't have to do without. At 5129 parts and 500 EUR, it's the third largest and by far the most expensive set yet to appear in the theme. 71043 Hogwarts Castle has the most pieces at 6020, but retails for 420 EUR, admittedly with a wealth of very small parts, and the second largest, 75978 Diagon Alley, has 5544 pieces and retails for 400 EUR.
The new set will consist of the Express, a section of built track (which suggests the possibility of a larger scale than we're accustomed to) and the 9 3/4 platform. The track is a little reminiscent of LEGO 10277 Crocodile Locomotive, but appears better built in this set thanks to a base of black bricks. The track section is estimated to be between 90 and 100 cm long, and the platform stands on a base of roughly 8 studs' height to permit the minifigs to board the train.
The platform is comprised of one full arch and two half arches to either side, in the typical architecture of Kings Cross station, implemented with a fair few masonry bricks. The middle arch holds a tile with a printed quote from Albus Severus Potter from the Epilogue: "Dad, what if I am put in Slytherin?" The fact it's mounted on the arch presumably means we won't be seeing a series of small vignettes with quotes like that included in the Silencio! box in the Diagon Alley D2C, but that they'll somehow be integrated into the build itself.
The Hogwarts Express itself is only a few centimeters shorter than the track beneath it, which is an impressive length. A small data plate with the most important information about the train can be attached to the base of the platform. The train consists of the famous red steam locomotive, complete with tender, and (somewhat strangely) only one passenger car. The car has a total of four red train doors and three compartments in which scenes from different films are depicted.
Philosopher's Stone. One compartment depicts the meeting of the three main characters from the first film. It includes a quote from Hermione, "Has anyone seen a toad?" Minifigs: Harry, Ron and Hermione with their corresponding outfits. The trolley witch is also included and would most likely be displayed near this scene.
Prisoner of Azkaban. The second compartment, recreates the Dementor's incursion in the third film. There's a quote from Ron, "I think ... someone's coming aboard!" Minifigs: Harry, Ron and Hermione with their corresponding outfits. Lupin and a Dementor are also included and presumably belong here.
Unfortunately this seems to echo the minifig inclusion in the present HE set, but it's logical to assume at least one of the two sets of the young trio here will include new - and potentially exclusive - prints.
There are no details on the third compartment yet, but due to the minifig selection, Max says it's safe to assume it will be the HE scene from the sixth film, Half-Blood Prince. Amongst the 20 minifigures included in the set is Draco Malfoy in the black suit he wears en route to Hogwarts in HBP, an older Harry in casual clothing and Luna Lovegood, who of course stumbles across our stunned Harry and helps set him to rights. It's possible Harry and Luna are the same two versions from this summer's Thestral set, but we haven't had suited Draco yet.
Other characters included to flesh out the train are a conductor, and one as yet unnamed Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff student each, bringing our running total to fifteen figs so far.
Who's next, you say?
Well the remaining five are presumably the most interesting characters included, and very likely to remain exclusive to this set. (By contrast, while the Diagon Alley D2C had 15 exclusive minifigs (of seventeen), since its release, many of their parts have since reappeared so plentifully elsewhere (I'm looking at you, Hermione and Ron...), that their resale value is reduced.) To go with the quote on Platform 9 3/4, we have the five members of the (future) Potter family from the Epilogue: an adult Harry with beard stubble, frumpy adult Ginny, and their children James Sirius, Albus Severus and Lily Luna. Unfortunately with all the needless minifig repeats in the individual compartments, lego didn't leave enough capacity to enclose the adult versions of Ron and Hermione or their children, and if fandom is any indication, many would have appreciated seeing Scorpius with his parents as well.
It also appears the there will be no electrical components included for motorising or lighting the train based on the information currently at hand. Retrofitting the train with a motor shouldn't prove difficult, however, as there's ample space for a motor. All in all, Max says the new Hogwarts Express looks like a grown up version of its predecessors. All components are slightly larger, protruding somewhat, and should come closer to approximating minifig scale than in the sets that have come before it.
Release slated for September 2022.
Some highlights from the promobricks article by Max Börnicke.
Max reports that the rumours are true, later this year lego will release 76405 Hogwarts Express, a collector's edition version of the Wizarding World's iconic train to Hogwarts. It'll run a gobsmacking cost of almost 500 EUR here, but there's a selection of exclusive minifigures, with 20 figs in total, and the 9 3/4 train station included to soften the blow. Promobricks has kindly compiled all the details for us...
The Hogwarts Express isn't a new subject to the theme. Since 2001, we've seen a total of eight models at various scales, five of which were minifig scale and one of which included tracks and a motor. The latest version presently on the shelves dates from 2018, has been on the market for nearly four years, and is expected to go EOL soon, discontinued by the end of the year.
But just in the nick of time! Out comes 76405 so we won't have to do without. At 5129 parts and 500 EUR, it's the third largest and by far the most expensive set yet to appear in the theme. 71043 Hogwarts Castle has the most pieces at 6020, but retails for 420 EUR, admittedly with a wealth of very small parts, and the second largest, 75978 Diagon Alley, has 5544 pieces and retails for 400 EUR.
The new set will consist of the Express, a section of built track (which suggests the possibility of a larger scale than we're accustomed to) and the 9 3/4 platform. The track is a little reminiscent of LEGO 10277 Crocodile Locomotive, but appears better built in this set thanks to a base of black bricks. The track section is estimated to be between 90 and 100 cm long, and the platform stands on a base of roughly 8 studs' height to permit the minifigs to board the train.
The platform is comprised of one full arch and two half arches to either side, in the typical architecture of Kings Cross station, implemented with a fair few masonry bricks. The middle arch holds a tile with a printed quote from Albus Severus Potter from the Epilogue: "Dad, what if I am put in Slytherin?" The fact it's mounted on the arch presumably means we won't be seeing a series of small vignettes with quotes like that included in the Silencio! box in the Diagon Alley D2C, but that they'll somehow be integrated into the build itself.
The Hogwarts Express itself is only a few centimeters shorter than the track beneath it, which is an impressive length. A small data plate with the most important information about the train can be attached to the base of the platform. The train consists of the famous red steam locomotive, complete with tender, and (somewhat strangely) only one passenger car. The car has a total of four red train doors and three compartments in which scenes from different films are depicted.
Philosopher's Stone. One compartment depicts the meeting of the three main characters from the first film. It includes a quote from Hermione, "Has anyone seen a toad?" Minifigs: Harry, Ron and Hermione with their corresponding outfits. The trolley witch is also included and would most likely be displayed near this scene.
Prisoner of Azkaban. The second compartment, recreates the Dementor's incursion in the third film. There's a quote from Ron, "I think ... someone's coming aboard!" Minifigs: Harry, Ron and Hermione with their corresponding outfits. Lupin and a Dementor are also included and presumably belong here.
Unfortunately this seems to echo the minifig inclusion in the present HE set, but it's logical to assume at least one of the two sets of the young trio here will include new - and potentially exclusive - prints.
There are no details on the third compartment yet, but due to the minifig selection, Max says it's safe to assume it will be the HE scene from the sixth film, Half-Blood Prince. Amongst the 20 minifigures included in the set is Draco Malfoy in the black suit he wears en route to Hogwarts in HBP, an older Harry in casual clothing and Luna Lovegood, who of course stumbles across our stunned Harry and helps set him to rights. It's possible Harry and Luna are the same two versions from this summer's Thestral set, but we haven't had suited Draco yet.
Other characters included to flesh out the train are a conductor, and one as yet unnamed Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff student each, bringing our running total to fifteen figs so far.
Who's next, you say?
Well the remaining five are presumably the most interesting characters included, and very likely to remain exclusive to this set. (By contrast, while the Diagon Alley D2C had 15 exclusive minifigs (of seventeen), since its release, many of their parts have since reappeared so plentifully elsewhere (I'm looking at you, Hermione and Ron...), that their resale value is reduced.) To go with the quote on Platform 9 3/4, we have the five members of the (future) Potter family from the Epilogue: an adult Harry with beard stubble, frumpy adult Ginny, and their children James Sirius, Albus Severus and Lily Luna. Unfortunately with all the needless minifig repeats in the individual compartments, lego didn't leave enough capacity to enclose the adult versions of Ron and Hermione or their children, and if fandom is any indication, many would have appreciated seeing Scorpius with his parents as well.
It also appears the there will be no electrical components included for motorising or lighting the train based on the information currently at hand. Retrofitting the train with a motor shouldn't prove difficult, however, as there's ample space for a motor. All in all, Max says the new Hogwarts Express looks like a grown up version of its predecessors. All components are slightly larger, protruding somewhat, and should come closer to approximating minifig scale than in the sets that have come before it.
Release slated for September 2022.