Lego Hogwarts' Astronomy Tower 75969

 There is a lot going on in this set which makes for a lot of play value.  I think my favourite bit is the little greenhouse with the Mandrakes in their pots - okay, so the other half didn't appreciate me pulling them out and screaming each time but I was playing!

Comes with a lot of little rooms which I didn't really expect.  You get Professor Slughorn's office and the Ravenclaw Dormitory along with one room for the Orrery and one for the telescope.  They are all small but you can get at least one mini figure in each along with their furnishings.  There is a central hall portion with some cute shelves but the best bit is the little table with the chocolate fountain the middle.

The build takes time but the instructions are clear, detailed and really are step by step so it feels relatively simple to construct.  It is a little bit fragile like all large Lego buildings and you have to exercise some caution when playing.  If you are going to leave it built up for game play it may be worth gluing it together but it is sturdy enough for a display shelf without that or for delicate play.

Number Of Pieces: 971

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.09

Build Time: 3.5 Hours

 

Lego Beaubatons' Carriage:Arrival At Hogwarts 75958

 Although the carriage only appears briefly in the film Goblet Of Fire it is a pretty iconic image and when I saw this kit I really had to have it.  I was not disappointed at all when I started to build, it is quite intricate and fiddly but I really enjoyed every second of this build.  There is a really clever use of colour on the bricks and the included decal sheet just helps to lift the overall look.

Even better the side of the carriage lifts up and clips open to create a playset over two levels.  The included minifigures of Fleur and her sister fit well and can be enclosed in the carriage when the sides are closed.  Lots of play value with this one and it looks the part if you just want to add it to a display.  

The horses are only partially articulated but they can be posed enough to make them look like they are landing or taking off.

Number Of Pieces: 430

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.10

Build Time: 1.5 Hours

 

Lego Batman:Pursuit Of The Joker 76119

 This is one of the smallest Lego kits I have built and I am really glad I didn't pick this as my first build as it would likely have put me off.  I found this a really tough kit to build, because it is necessarily in black the build images can be quite difficult to decipher as black on black is not a good look except in fashion.  I spent a lot of time removing sections as I had put them in the wrong spot.  Definitely challenging.

The look of it once completed definitely makes it worth persevering with and I am glad I did.  The movement action is really smooth and I will readily admit to spending time just running it up and down my table after building with a daft grin on my face.  Loved the action of Joker's "gun" to fire the little dot projectiles; they do go a long way though so be prepared to spend a lot of time scouring the floor to find them.

Number Of Pieces: 342

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.07

Build Time: 1.5 Hours

 

Lego Hagrid's Hut: Buckbeak's Rescue 75947

 First off lets talk about the Light Brick.  I had no idea what this was prior to purchasing this kit, turns out it is what it says, it is a clear brick with an LED bulb inside that is triggered by a switch mechanism.  In the case of this kit it creates a light up effect in the fireplace so it looks like Norbert's unhatched egg is being warmed by the fire.  We slid it on to a middle shelf that is quite dark and it does give quite a reasonable amount of illumination.

The build is a little fiddly as there is a lot going on in each half of the hut but nothing too onerous.  It was still a lot of fun to build.  My favourite bit is actually Buckbeak chained in the Pumpkin Patch, it is not the most elaborate bit of the build but it is perhaps my favourite because it just looks so good.  Buckbeak is partially articulated so you can help him fly away.

The hut itself is locked in an open format.  This is the only downside, I would have loved it if it swivelled together and then you opened it up but as the sides are not equal in dimensions it would need a major re-engineer to achieve this.

Number Of Pieces: 496

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.10

Build Time: 2 Hours

 

 

Lego Hogwarts Great Hall 75954

 This is a really good playset and lots of options to play and place your included figures.  With everything from a tiny dormitory to a moving staircase there is more than just the Dining Hall included in the set and it gives you a lot of play value once built.  I have to admit the included basilisk is really fun and we have found ourselves randomly attacking each other with it for no other reason than it is funny.

Okay, the build itself is the important bit for me and this was one of the more complicated builds I have taken on.  By following the printed instructions it is actually much easier than I thought it would be.  The images are clear and with the bricks being pre-sorted in to bags it makes it a joy to build.  The fact it is split in to bags also gives you natural break points but I will admit I just built this in one gleeful sitting.  The only real problem is how addictive this is and it has led me down a rabbit hole of kits that link with this one.

Number Of Pieces: 878

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.10

Build Time: 3 Hours

 

Lego The Knight Bus 75957

 It is a very long time since I have built with Lego but seeing as the chances of getting even a mini-break in 2020 are slim to none I made the decision to splurge what we would likely have spent on going away on some fun hobby stuff.  I am still overly obsessed with Harry Potter and this kit has been catching my eye at local stores and online for about 18 months now.

Yes, the price seems high but when you look at the quality of a Lego set you start to understand why.  Not only is the engineering behind the design impeccable but the bricks themselves slot together securely, are richly coloured and have limitless uses.

Building itself is a great deal of fun and the instructions are in a handy booklet with step by step images.  The bricks come in numbered bags which correspond to each step in the booklet so you don't have 400+ pieces scattered around whilst you build.  This also makes it much easier to segregate the pieces by type and colour and there is a large amount of variation in the pieces needed to create the Knight Bus.

There is a large amount of play value with this set.  The most impressive thing for me was the way one side of the bus itself is hinged so you can open it up and access the inside to place your figures.  The roof of the bus also lifts off to give access to the top deck.  Stability overall was very good, I did play with it for a little while and didn't have issues with pieces dropping off as I played.  This is probably due to the fairly basic rectangular structure but that is ultimately what a bus is.

The only thing is I would have liked it to be maybe a little wider as it is a little "snug" to get the figures in.

Total Pieces: 403

Approximate Cost per piece: £0.09

Build Time: 1.5 Hours

 

Lego Hogwarts Express 75955

 I was really taken aback by this kit.  I knew the box photo looked good but somehow it doesn't do the actual product justice and, to be honest, neither do my photos.  The little details are what makes this set and, despite being a grown adult, I spent an overly long time playing with Platform 93/4 after building the station platform.  The wall is on a "swing" so you can actually push the included luggage through the wall and it gave me an inordinate amount of pleasure.

The build itself was incredibly fun and gave me so much pleasure.  I am a bit of a train fan in general so the tie in for me with Harry Potter was a no brainer but I was pleasantly surprised at how detailed the Hogwarts Express itself is.  It really does look like a steam engine and I loved the little dial decals for the engine - really did look similar to the inside of the engine cabs I have at The National Railway Museum.

For me this is one of the best value Lego kits currently out there.  It works well as a display item and the play value is enormous if you are purchasing for a younger person (or an older one like me that embraces the sheer fun of make believe.

Number Of Pieces: 801

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.09

Build Time:
Station - 1 Hour
Train - 2 Hours