Next month, LEGO® Ideas will welcome its biggest set yet with a 4090-piece River Steamboat. The set is the latest to be inspired by a fan-created design and celebrates the bygone era of steam-powered travel. Steamboats evoke memories of a bygone era when ornate boats would often be found chugging along rivers. They would often be used to provide entertainment to those on board and were considered the height of luxury. This upcoming brick-built Steamboat celebrates the luxurious travel they offered and the unique technology that powered them. It’s an early look at the LEGO Ideas River Steamboat.
A slight warning for those purchasing the set at launch, it’s possible you may find a warped element in bag 3 of the build. The conical wheel box is used in the bows of the Steamboat and is also an unusual piece, which you may not have spare. The LEGO Group is aware of the issue, and you can request a replacement through LEGO.com. Search for part 6169982 here if you find the faulty part in your set. You can also see which sets include the piece here, should you wish to source it from one you may already own.
Product Details
Set Name: River | Set Number: 21356 | Pieces: 879 | Theme: Ideas
Number of Bags: Bags x 32 + loose elements | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: Sheet x 1 | Minifigures: N/A | Insiders QR: Yes
RRP: £289.99/$329.99/329.99€/499.99AUD/429.99CAD/2599,95DDK
Availability: LEGO Stores & LEGO Online April 7th (Insiders) April 10th (General)
The River Steamboat is based on the fan design by Aaron Hall. The Western River Steamboat was chosen to become a set from the second 2023 project review. The set is inspired by Aaron’s youth growing up on the banks of the Mississippi, which is commonly associated with Steamboats. You can learn more about the story behind the set in the instructions and the LEGO Ideas 10K Interview.
The base of the Riverboat kicks off the build and is partly created from a series of unique elements often used to craft LEGO boats. But the base is also home to a simple mechanism which powers the boat’s large rear rotary paddle. This is powered by a lone tyre, and when the boat is pushed along a surface, the tyre turns a gear system which is connected to the rear of the boat. Towards the end of the build, it’s connected to the red paddle, completing the working functions.
In the same area of the base is a rudder, which is also connected to a simple mechanism. This is threaded along the inner section of the boat and is connected to a series of axles spread across the end floor of the boat. Once the set is complete, the rudder can be waggled by turning a knob on the boat’s upper level. The paddle is an important aspect of the boat and it’s great that it’s functional. Personally, the rudder could have been left out, purely as the series of axle rods, which run up from the bows of the boat to the upper section, take up a lot of room and are a little awkward to keep connecting when removing the different sections of the boat.
The base of the boat is also home to the steam-powered engine room. Although most of the gadgets found here are decorative, that adds to the charm of the set. There’s also a tiny kitchen built into this section as well. It may not be the easiest area to get to once the build of the boat progresses, but they are fun to see as you build. Be mindful of how some of the elements are connected and positioned as you build this section. It’s easy to mix up some of the gear wheels and some of the elements which come into play later on in the build, and need pointing in the right direction, or you’ll encounter issues. The instructions make it clear.
The boat is split into four sections, which neatly slot together. As mentioned, the only awkward part of this is connecting the elements used to work the rudder. The interior of the boat is inspired by the era in which paddle boats were prolific. The most detailed of these is a rectangular room, which sits within the bow of the boat, just above the engine room. This is home to a small lounge with some interesting elements and build techniques. Firstly, the tables are white plates, but these are used upside down. The chairs are backed by egg gears and the walls are lined with ornate lamps. Just next to the lounge is a smaller room featuring a stage area and classic jazz instruments. Although this room is on the boat’s main deck, it’s built into the base of the boat.
The next lever is much smaller but still offers additional interior details. This section features two very compact rooms, with one featuring two small boats and the other a surprisingly detailed bathroom. Both of these rooms use the exterior walls to great effect to incorporate the various details. This smaller level of the boat is topped by an upper deck and cabin. This doesn’t have any interior details, but it is where the rudder can be worked from.
Once the boat is fully constructed, you add some additional details in the form of strings. One length of the string is used purely to decorate the front section around the boat’s large black chimney stacks. The other, found on the lower deck of the boat, is used to lower a pair of boarding platforms. These can be lowered by turning a drum barrel.
One of the most important parts of a Steamboat is the larger paddle found at the rear of the boat. This is powered by steam and propels the boat through the water at a steady pace. For this set, the paddle is largely crafted from Technic elements and is connected to the gear system installed in the base of the boat. Once in place, it rotates as the boat is pushed along. It is quite similar to the fan design, as are the decorative panels and rails found along the side of the boat.
The steamboat is quite stable on its own, even with the wheel mechanism used to power the paddles, but for extra security, there’s a simple stand for it to sit on. It neatly nestles between sections found underneath the boat.
The River Steamboat is another excellent example of how varied the LEGO Ideas theme has become, and as the set with the biggest piece count yet, it shows how fan designs of all different sizes have the chance to become a set. Although there is a lot of necessary repetition in the build and a few fiddly sections, they do result in an impressively detailed build. The focus of the set is the Steamboat, but it does feel a little empty without any minifigures to bring it to life. Whenever Steamboats are featured in films, etc, they are always lively places, which would have been fun to replicate with a few mini LEGO folk. But the joy of LEGO means you can easily add your own. It’s also another expensive set, but that is shown in the build and the level of detail it features. The pricing hasn’t been inflated to accommodate any licensing. The set will be available for Insiders from April 7th, and for those who purchase the set during the launch week, you will also get the Amelia Ticket Booth GWP set.
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The LEGO Group provided this set to BricksFanz for this review. However, the thoughts expressed in this review are those of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group. Providing a set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
