Expert designs and builds a replica LEGO® Pumphouse and Tram 47

Te Puawānanga Science and Technology Centre is set to open in late May, and it’s full of surprises and collaborations. One of these includes LEGO® replicas of MOTAT’s Pumphouse and Tram 47 (also known as Big Ben).
The Lego models were designed by Matt Tennent, who describes himself as an AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO®). Matt says he has been building with LEGO® for “basically his whole life,” his first Lego set being a gift from his mum.
Matt joined AUCKLUG (Auckland LEGO® Users Group) as an adult to meet people with a similar interest in LEGO®. The group worked on train displays at various shows across Auckland.
The Te Puawānanga project team approached Matt asking him to design and create a scene from MOTAT that highlighted examples of the “six simple machines” that recur in technology and construction and are already a feature at the museum. Matt came up with the idea of creating the Pumphouse as the centre piece, with the double-decker tram as part of the scene.
Using a piece of software called StudIO, Matt digitally designed both the Pumphouse and Tram 47 in intricate detail. The design was then connected to another piece of software called BrickLink, which shows the designer the cost of each brick used to create the model, provides colour options, and the cheapest source of where to buy the bricks. Matt describes BrickLink as “Trade Me” for LEGO® fans.
The build of the models was a huge undertaking for Matt, and for the final stages he enlisted members AUCKLUG to complete the majority of the MOTAT scene over a whole weekend - using over 21,000 bricks to create the Pumphouse alone.
📸:
1960s. Pumphouse : exterior, late 1960s, 03-908. Walsh Memorial Library, The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
Pumphouse : pre-MOTAT days, 03-882. Walsh Memorial Library, The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
1918 #47 at Island Bay showing first rebuild from Palace design - Large Decker built by Rouse & Black series 47-52 entered service 1906 (Graham Stewart Coll).
1962-07-25 #47 leaving Newtown Depot for the trip by road to Auckland and preservation - Large Decker Rouse & Black built in 1906 (Graham Stewart).
1951 'Combination' #29 - Fiducia #253 & Decker #47 in Lambton Quay adjacent Wellington Railway Station (Graham Stewart).