View this beautiful LEGO® collection by Jan Aalderink
23 October 2018
One of the nice things about LEGO® is that this toy is fun for both children and adults. We regularly hear beautiful stories from parents and grandparents who, together with their children, build beautiful LEGO® creations. Children are therefore brought up with the passion for LEGO® and remain LEGO® fans for the rest of their lives. Others are infected with the LEGO® virus later in life, but are also addicted to LEGO® within a short time. Recently we spoke with Jan Aalderink, 66 years old and living in Heerhugowaard in the Netherlands. His beautiful story is an inspiration for every LEGO® fan.
In the early spring of 2010 I visited a LEGO® store in Alkmaar in the Netherlands, to discover what was so special about it. It was not too big a store, but big enough to buy those things that make you completely addicted.
That happened to me now because the owner, also a LEGO® fanatic, pointed out the Emerald Night Train that consisted of just LEGO® parts. My disbelief was dazzled by the fact that he removed various parts and I was equally struck by the detail of the LEGO® locomotive.
I immediately bought a box and after I had built it, I ordered the engines, because of course it had to drive as well. Things went quickly after this and I bought things like extra rails and switches, and less than a month later I bought the Green Grocer (10185), because its scale precisely matched the locomotive.
This purchase was also the incentive to purchase the entire series, the Café Corner and the Market Street. I did this, among other things, through online market places and of course at my favorite LEGO® store. I finally succeeded in buying the original copies including the associated boxes.
I have also provided these two buildings with a complete interior (see picture of Café Corner), a time-consuming puzzle, and in the Café Corner I have built a whole floor in between. These are the challenging elements of designing and you can really use your creativity.
Years later I was just sitting in the LEGO® store together with my wife and daughter. At that time the Haunted House (10228) was on the shelf, which I thought did not fit with the other modular buildings. To my very surprise, both ladies told me to include this in the collection as well, so that I could start working on this building on my birthday. A very surprising development.
Because at one point I starting buying LEGO® boxes because of the different stones and pictures on the internet, I was stimulated to design a building myself. Here the detailing is of a high standard and eventually one design became reality. See also photo. The LEGO® buildings have many different colors in which the vertical lines clearly come into its own.
Meanwhile, the collection is complete again, but not all of them have been built yet. Mind you: this hobby is especially filled during the dark days from November to March. There is also a life in the outside world, but the interest for new LEGO® remains.
LEGO® Train Track
After my children left home, I built a LEGO® train track in the attic. I started with a certain surface and soon I found out that I wanted more. The number of m2 is limited and that is why I went up. I started with 1 floor, but after a while this did not seem enough. In the end there were four floors in which an eight-form was integrated at each level to allow the train to drive the other way! Subsequently, the houses and other buildings were added and I continued to decorate the LEGO® train track.
The photos show the result. It was a big challenge to give the track an open character such that you can see where the LEGO® locomotives are located and to keep in touch with the LEGO® remote control (RC). This forced me to make spans with pillars. Ultimately, I also want the pillars to consist entirely of LEGO® components.
LEGO® Mini modular houses
After the first 5 modular houses had been released by LEGO®, these 5 have also been released in a mini edition. It is very special that they are a quarter of a size and the similarity is so striking.
For me it was waiting for the next 5 and hoping that again a new series was released. LEGO® has not released a series (yet). For me, therefore, the challenge was to build these minis as striking as possible by using photos. I finally succeeded. It took a lot of time and sweat drops, but the result is satisfying. See the pictures.
I made the setup with various small LEGO® parts and these had to be stuck. So I had to come up with lots of solutions constructively. Then, when the skeleton stood, I made an order for the necessary colors. It is a challenge to buy LEGO® at a good price and for this I also made several orders at ToyPro!
My son has also become addicted to LEGO®, but all that tiny work, as he calls it, is nothing for him. So when a design is finished, I immediately make two, one for me and one for him. These are also great gifts for his birthdays!
LEGO® Architecture
I find it fascinating that with just LEGO® stones everything can be copied and this is also reflected in the LEGO® Architecture series. I thought that some sets could be more balanced and I found a challenge to give them more body. As examples: The Louvre in Paris, I made it completely symmetrical. I gave Big Ben in London more volume, because it is very small in the original edition. Furthermore, I have raised the Notre Dame in Paris slightly so that it is more balanced.
LEGO® Fair
Also in the area of fairground rides a lot is available and I have all the boxes at home. These attractions do not fit with the train track due to lack of space and therefore I decided to make a separate fairground. Finally, the Ferris wheel, carousel, sieve grinder and the LEGO® Rollercoaster (10261) must also be displayed. So I have plenty of projects ahead.
LEGO® Technic
I also concentrated on Meccano around 2007. You guessed it, Technical LEGO® came on the rise and of course I was quickly sold. Most of the boxes are still unopened and when my 2 grandsons are around 6 years old, they become part of the building process. Now they are already playing during the construction process with the moving parts in the buildings under construction and with the minifigures.
Actually, I still have a lot of challenges and constructions to complete, but I do this now in moderation. The work stock is still more than sufficient and exercise is also important.
We would like to thank Jan on behalf of ToyPro for his beautiful story and wish him lots of fun in the future. Are you or do you know someone who is crazy about LEGO® and builds amazing creations? Then let us know via LEGOfans@toypro.com.
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