The strengthening rods beneath the carriage are similarly authentic, but the proportions of the windows leave something to be desired. While large windows offer a good view of the interior, they appear much too long, in relation to the onscreen passenger carriages. I understand the desire to present the interior, but I would have preferred more accurate windows. Both minifigures are equipped with dark brown and reddish brown wands, respectively, as well as two suitcases. Scabbers plays a vital role in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban so I am glad to see him here, represented by a brand new element which includes greater moulded detail than the original rat. The creature's beady eyes look superb and he can fit onto a studded surface very neatly, or be held in the hand of a minifigure.

Bags 1 and 2 build the locomotive, based on the real-life Great Western Railway Hall Class, no. 5972 “Olton Hall”. The most basic differentiator of any steam locomotive is the wheel arrangement, and the set gets it right, and reasonably proportionate as well. Olton Hall is a 4-6-0: four leading or pilot wheels, six driving wheels (connected to the drive shaft, in other words, powered), and no trailing wheels (when present, these would be under the firebox or cab). Moving on, bag three builds the tender (or in the LEGO description, coal car), which also has the correct number of wheels compared to the prototype (original real-world object). It’s a basic lil’ guy, and maybe could be a bit longer, but it gets the job done. Unfortunately it really doesn’t have enough room in it to hide a battery box, which is one of the primary ways that this size of LEGO steam locomotive gets motorized. Folks who want this train to run under power will likely need to expand the tender significantly, or motorize one of the coaches instead.Another axle links the tender to the passenger carriage. The distance between sections of the train appears realistic and the opposing buffers are excellent, although I wonder whether there was potential to include a brake hose at this scale. However, actually attaching that hose would likely be challenging. I had high expectations for 75955 Hogwarts Express and am glad to report that it does not disappoint. This train looks more faithful to the source material than any previous rendition and includes plenty of realistic details that one might find on any steam locomotive. In fact, this is probably my favourite of the steam trains which LEGO have produced since 10194 Emerald Night was released in 2009, almost ten years ago! The fourth and final Harry Potter minifigure originates from the epilogue to the whole series, in which several characters bid farewell to their children at Kings Cross Station. While simple, his clothing reflects the source material and I like the double-sided head, which perfectly captures Harry's older appearance. Appropriately, his scar nearly vanishes beneath this hair component. The pilot wheels, at the front of the locomotive, are the least successful compromise in my judgement. It feels as though the need for those wheels to be able to pivot independently of the main frame was recognized, but there wasn’t a solution that gave it enough stability, so the choice was made to secure it in place, but also allow flipping it over for when you need to turn? It’s the first time I can remember seeing something like this in a LEGO train, and I have to guess that the pilot will simply be discarded or go missing in a lot of kids’ play. Thankfully, the most important areas of the carriage are readily accessible. Whole segments of the roof and wall can be removed, including one which reveals the corridor. The use of reddish brown and tan inside looks beautifully traditional and I think this two stud width is adequate, as minifigures can stand comfortably inside.

biggest - : a Lego train not compatible with any other Lego train. Because that's what Lego is about: modularity, compatibility. They actually should have included a warning on the box: caution not compatible with Lego City trains. I wouldn't have noticed this without reading the review just from the store description and the official images - who counts studs to see if this train has a different gauge from all the other trains?"Our protagonists generally travel in passenger compartments, but the Hogwarts Express also provides open seating. The third section therefore recreates that seating and takes inspiration from The Half-Blood Prince, where Draco Malfoy and his companions ride. The combination of reddish brown wood panelling and dark blue fabric on the seats looks superb.