Continuing on my series of train reviews, this instalment is 10233 Horizon Express.

Released in 2013, Horizon Express is the third Creator Expert train set following on from 10219 Maersk Train (released in 2011) and 10194 Emerald Night (released in 2009).

You can read my earlier reviews of 10219 Maersk Train and 7939 Cargo Train.

Box/Instructions

The front of box shows the completed train with one engine and two carriages.

The rear of the box shows how the model can be opened up to expose the interior details.

The rear of the box also shows how separate Power Functions components can be added to motorise the train.

The instructions are divided into three books; one book each for the engine and two carriages.

There is also a sticker sheet but this is mostly for engine and carriage numbers.

Parts

About 1/8 of the parts are Bright Orange giving the train its distinctive look. The three bright orange nose pieces and three bright orange train chassis are the key parts that are unique to this set. The engine window is also a part unique to this set.

As with the other two Creator Expert trains, the 10233 Horizon Express is not motorised and does not come with tracks. The set includes a main transformer (transformateur principal), a dummy IR Receiver and a Technic bogie.

The transformer can be used as heavy cargo on a freight train flat car.

Minifigures

There are six minifigures in this set. For the first time there is a female train driver on the LEGO train network. There are four passengers on the train and one employee working in the restaurant carriage.

None of these minifigures are special to this set and the parts can be found quite a few other sets.

The build

This train is solidly built and very detailed. There are some interesting SNOT techniques used to fit in the carriage windows.

The completed model

The train is a very good rendition of the French SNCF TGV-PSE high speed train in the original livery.

There is a magnetic buffer coupling between the engine and the first carriage and a Jacob bogie between the two carriages. This is how the real engines are connected to the carriages.

This is the first time that I have had all these trains out for play.

I am fortunate to have two of these trains which makes the finished model better resemble the real TGV-PSE. I will need to modify the model by adding a Jacob bogie between the two sets.

I have motorised both sets using a Train Motor, an AAA Battery Box and an IR Receiver in each engine. I have also added electric lights to both engines.

By having one of the motors reversed, both engines are working together driving the train in the same direction when using one channel of the IR Speed Remote. The other remote channel operates the lights.

The engine cab can be opened up to gain access to the driver.

The nose extends forward of the front bogie and as a result, sweeps out wide when on curved sections. It will knock into station platforms, bridge piers, tunnels and other obstructions close to the track unless there are straight track sections leading into the platforms or obstructions.

The roofs of both carriages can be lifted off to show the details underneath.

There is a restaurant car where a waiter attends to a small bar. Passengers can relax with a fresh cup of coffee. The other car is quieter with a magazine and luggage rack and a bathroom.

Overall opinion

This is an accurate set that adds a modern feel to your LEGO passenger train network.

I would like the Creator Expert trains to be motorised but I understand that this will add to the price. It would also be good to have some track included even if this were a few straight sections so the finished model can be displayed.

To make this set match the real world, at least two sets need to be joined together to make the train complete.

It is unfortunate that 2015 is missing a Creator Expert train set but I look forward to what may be available in the near future.

The Horizon Express marks the 3rd member of the Lego Shop Exclusive Train Series, and the first to be part of the Creator Expert line. Lets see how it stacks up.

Box/Instructions

What can I say about the box, well it was a box. The instructions where nice and I did not notice any mistakes while building.

Parts

The train is a wonderful orange color, with a dash of cheese slopes and cheese graters. A few printed pieces are included, which help to make the set stand out.

Minifigures

The 5 included figures are well designed, but for the most part nothing to spectaclur.

The build

This is where the Horizon Express shines. Several SNOT methods are used, included some true upside down building. However there is one word of caution; before I built the Horizon Express I watched a YouTube review from BeinMister22, where the reviewer complained about the cheese slope arrows, pushing the plates above them off their studs ruining the stability of the roof. I built those arrows very carefully, making sure the cheese slopes where in their proper position, and have not had that issue. While the work required to align the cheese slopes properly is tedious, in the end it is well worth it. If anything it also puts the Horizon Express in good company, seeing the Emerald Night required some tedious alignment on the positions of the driving wheels. Maybe it is a tradition for the Exclusive Trains to have a complex build part which is tedious to execute? I digress, despite those tedious moments, the building methods are well worth the result.

The completed model

The Horizon Express shines in every aspect, from the passenger cars to the engine. It looks great from any angle. If Power Functions are added, they do not distract from the look of the train. The Horizon Express looks like a French TGV, and it is easy to imagine it rolling down the high speed tracks of a Lego city. Also the Horizon Express looks great next to the previous Emerald Night and Maersk Trains, creating a mini Lego museum of rail history.

Summary

An excellent model, well worth the purchase. Just remember to use care while building the advanced segments of the model.

First Impressions

I got this set for my 12th birthday, which was a while a go, so I did a review. The box looks nice, and shows off some of the key features that LEGO fans were very excited about, such as the SNOT arrows and windows. Inside the box, we find 12 numbered bags, numbered according to the 3 booklets, plus a 13th bag for extra large pieces. Booklets and stickers are put in a seperate bag with cardboard, so the chance of getting the set with crumpled stickers is fairly low. The three baseplates (or whatever they are called for trains) are orange and not in plastic bags. Also, a green brick seperator is included.

The Locomotive

Onto the build. For the Loco, six of the 12 bags are used. The driver is a girl, I think this is a LEGO first. We start building with one of the orange baseplate, with some strange parts which will make sense later on, hopefully. The SNOT arrows use a very clever technique, which I learn a lot from. We soon build the middle and top parts of the nose, with the drivers' seat attached, and a bit to low, as the driver can't actually look out. Another great part is the lower part of the nose with one of those interesting splitter things they have on high speed trains. Amazing SNOT, I really like LEGO putting this in. The last part, is, as you'd expect, the roof. I'm only a bit dissapointed, as many others, about the hole under the pantographs. This should be fixed, as you can just see the floor. If it rains, this can't be good for the engine. :P It took me quite long to build the locomotive, but as this is a Creator Expert set from 14+, and me being 12, it will probably take less time for most buyers of this set. When done, the Locomotive looks amazing from the front.

1st Class

Again, we start off with the orange baseplates, soon getting to the chairs and luggage compartments, and there is even a toilet, with a funny sliding door mechanism. The SNOT window technique is once again great. The doors, however are a bit small. I really like how this first class car has the taller roof at the front to match the locomotive, and the fact it flows with train very well. The wheel section on the front that connects with the loco is like the one on the loco itself and connects magnetically. However, the wheel section that connects the 1st and 2nd class is actually one section shared by the two carriages, connected by pins only rather than magnets. One more thing: the suitcases that have their compartments on train can fall out when the train is picked up due to their compartments' designs.

2nd Class

The second class starts off similarly to first class, but soon the interior gets more interesting as the toilet are in first class is a bar here, as this doubles as the dining car. The roof gets added, and the carriage gets connected to the shared wheel section, and you are done with an amazing build.

When the train is done

When you are finished with this build, you truly have one of the most amazing LEGO trains there has ever been. It is definetely the best set I have. If you have a LEGO railroad, put it on that railroad, because train looks magnificent in its natural habitat.

Conclusion

BUY. THIS. SET. Because it is fantastic. To build, to put together its amazing rare pieces, and just to look at. Although the price is high, it is truly worth it, and if you can afford it, you don't really have a reason not to buy it, because this is one of the best trains you can get now, and is probably also one of the best LEGO trains ever. However, if you do intend to play with it, it is a bit less fun than the CITY trains, and there is also some nose overhang in corners. However, as a display piece alone already this is amazing. Buy it. Buy it while you can.

The title of this review covers it really nicely if you have been lucky enough to have experienced the splendour that is 10194 Emerald Night. For anyone else I will try to very briefly explain.

Box/Instructions

The box has gotten me excited moreso because of the new branding "Creator Expert" that it shows than anything else. This name suggest that we will be getting more sets in this level of quality which, to me, is much more significant than the nice images of the sets contained within.

As has become (a great) standard the instructions are protected with cardboard backing in a separate bag which ensures it arrives in good nick. All of the instructions were clear and neatly organised. The only strange part I encoutnered (as already reviewed) is the roof of the carriages that is assembled partly on the carriage and partly separately, resulting in two very fragile sections that need to be pressed together which comes across as an intentional test of your agility, or insight to assemblying it differently. This is no reason for me to give anything but top marks since I actually enjoyed this 'anomaly'.

Parts

The name "Creator" suggests, correctly, that this set contains mostly elementary parts which means that most parts are very well suited for use in other creations. This is what Lego is all about.

Minifigures

I really like the details in the minifigures; there is a distinct difference in the style of clothing between the 1st and 2nd class carriage passengers and the train driver has a braid that is far enough from here body so she can sit perfectly in the driver's seat. Great!

The build

Oh Wow. I honestly was afraid this build would become repetitive after the engine but I was very happily surprised. Each part of the train revealed new details or build techniques that kept me wanting to go on to see what would come next. The toilet stall had me laughing and sliding the door several times (I would consider the mere mention of it a spoiler, sorry about that). But there is more; the arrows on the engine, the transformers in the engine, the bar in the restaurant carriage, the underside of the entire train, the wheel sections between the carraiges, the windows, just to name some.

The completed model

I honestly only 'like' the finished model. It is very good, objectively, but I am more attracted to the older style trains such as the Emerald Night. Having them next to each other I would grab the green gem any time.

Summary

Get this train, I am unable to find any reason to give less than top marks for this set. Consider the following scenarios. You are:

Adult Fan Of LEGO : You will love building this model and know you have a classic in your posession.

Teen/Kid FOL: The price would really be the only thing stopping you from getting it, right?

Parent of Lego Fan (POLF): If you have (young) children they will love playing with the train, as mine do, and you will enjoy building it for them. I think from 8 years onwards they may be able to build significant parts themselves with only some help.

It is a good thing nobody will ever have to choose between my two favorite trains I mentioned above. This is simple THE train to get at this time.

It goes without saying that Lego trains are some of the most interesting products available, if mostly for the compromises that the designers have to make. These loco's can be fun and exciting, but TLG have for many years experienced difficulties in marketing their more advanced builds - those that appeal to an older audience. Why? Well, it's not always easy to make the distinctions between pure playability and enhanced visual design. This confusion has spawned an array of short lived and and questionable product lines.

This is why I am excited for the new Creator Expert branding that will come into force at the start of 2013 (which also replaces many existing Exclusive products, including the 'modular buildings' and Sopwith Camel). TLG now have a direction to take their advanced train products, one that organises the models alongside other products of the same ethos. In addition, this new branding and set of design objectives create a benchmark against the well received Creator product line; Creator Expert seeks to apply even more clever building techniques, creative solutions and, most importantly, educated building. Bizarrely, it's almost a rebellion against TLG's own licensed product lines and perhaps even City, given the number of large moulds that are dumbing down the build process.

Horizon Express is nothing short of a marvel, right from the packaging to the build. It is proof that the company is beginning to understand what requirements are in place to maintain a sustainable and attractive line up of train products that offer a more challenging and traditional experience than City trains.

Minifigures

Creator products, if minifigure scale, tend to not be very flashy in their attire. This isn't because they live too far away from the Grand Emporium ("Not even a chuckle? I'll grab my coat..."), but because their bold colours are a reflection of those which are present on the buildings they reside in. So in contrast, the Horizon Express, with its nicely sophisticated uniform, also has some very nice minifigures. The stand-out is of course our elder passenger who sports a great waistcoat, pocket watch, matching pants and a weathered face. Having a female train driver is a really nice touch and certainly breaks a mould, while the other train attendant with his super smart uniform serves cocktails in the carriage bar. The other passengers blend in nicely with a Lego city, and make a change from some designs that are getting quite repetitive. It shows the designers took the time to assign passengers to class/wealth and journey intentions.

They also come with three brown briefcases and two newspaper 2x2 tiles.

Build and Play

Surprisingly, the build took almost a whole afternoon to complete, though I should point out that I took my time and left the components in their bags. These bags are numbered 1 to 3, and are assigned to each of the three models: the loco, leisure car and dining car. Three manuals are included, and these are assigned to the three sets of bags. These and the sticker sheet are wrapped in a bag against card, which has become the norm now. You also get a green Brick Separator included with this set, which is gives me an option if I don't fancy my orange one...

Oh dear, what am I like.

My experience of building the Horizon Express completely exceeded what already high expectations I had. This comes down to the way that, like other Creator products, I felt constantly engaged and interested in each step. Products like this can be very educational, because you learn to appreciate many advanced building techniques that simply cannot be found anywhere else, and as a result, you have to attain plenty of respect for the designers. Care has been taken in almost every aspect of the train to ensure that it looks, builds and functions realistically.

Horizon Express at times felt almost like a modular building, since you are required to construct many separate builds that all just 'fit' together almost effortlessly. To take some examples, the bottom-half of the nose on the front of the loco (which is SNOT) is achieved through building a short sloping structure that slides onto some 4x1 railings, allowing the bottoms of the bricks to sit back-to-back. Quite incredible in context, yet the putting it together just seems incredibly simple.

At another stage, we build the striking white-on-black arrow designs that make up the sides of the loco, and this is achieved through attaching 1x1 clip plates to rods inside the centre of the train, so that they may sit vertically in a row, not actually connecting to each other. But those rods also become a detail of the 'engine' within the train, so they come to use and don't look out of place.

Another great example is the window section that can be seen on either side of the passenger cars - a build so complex in design and yet logical to build that it makes your head spin.

The net result of these and more is that attention is drawn to the sophistication of design. Rather than simply using one or two larger dedicated components to create the solution, our designers sought to find solutions with traditional bricks. This trait has indeed been carried over from existing Creator and Exclusive products, which is what makes the Horizon Express so exciting. It follows a great legacy.

Once complete, both the train and its carriages can be disassembled and reassembled with absolute ease. Remove the roof of the carriages, and you have access to some very sweet features that make you just want to dive right in (the hallmark of a great Lego product, in my opinion). An infamous Lego coffee machine is present, wonderfully designed seating and table areas, a walking area along the opposite sides of the carriages, and best of all... a bathroom cubicle, with sliding door.

Every time I look at the latter, it fills me with both joy and the urge to burst out laughing. "Little things", as they say.

Compromises

Despite the countless examples of great design, there are many compromises that affect smaller aspects of realism. Will this affect your decision to purchase the train? They shouldn't, because without those difficult choices, many of the building techniques on offer would not have been possible.

Take the windows, which although look wonderful, are actually lower than the minifigure eye level. Below the pylons/contacts on the loco, there is empty space that is... well, just bare. And those distinctive doors on the passenger cars are very chunky as they require normal bricks, but have to be this way because single-mould door pieces are the wrong shape.

In some places, these compromises go deep into the build itself. The aforementioned windows require you to have steady hands and nimble fingers, because applying these long structures to the walls can get uncharacteristically fiddly. This fragility then extends to a section that left me baffled, as you are required to build the beams for the roof (which are removable) onto the walls themselves, leave them for a while, come back to them later on and then place the roof itself onto the beams. This was absolutely frustrating as the beams are sitting on only three studs each, and the roof then has to be placed on all the studs across the top of the beams. As you're pressing down hard on either end of the carriage, it causes the walls to buckle quite a lot.

The solution is simple; don't build the beams 'onto' the carriage. Simply build them on your work surface, and when you arrive at the roof section, just place that onto the beams, and your removable roof is complete without the hassle of digging it into the carriage. Once I tried this, it took less than half the time and I stormed through it.

This is only one issue that I personally found annoying, but it didn't detract from the rest of the excellent build as it can be avoided. I just don't understand why the instructions haven't dedicated the entire roof section to its own build.

Parts and Stickers

Creator sets typically use more legacy components, and this is absolutely the case with Horizon Express. Those new moulds that do appear (which I should point out are all SNOT enhancing) exist to create even more creative possibilities than before, so I'm pleased with how everything turned out. We get a good handful of printed parts, including orange and black door panels on the loco, a computer display, and two quirky newspapers for the passengers to read. With a magnifying glass, you can indeed read the headlines and story! Outstanding attention to detail.

The stickers are not necessary to the final look of the train, and are simply optional. These include the numbers for the carriage windows, a grille for the front of the train and one of the cockpit control panel. All the stickers go on single elements, so you won't even damage multiple bricks. Again, this is wonderful consideration on the company's part and adds to the nostalgia I have with this product. The bricks bare and bold.

Final Thoughts

Both the Emerald Night and 'Maersk' trains of recent years were impressive design feats, but neither had a great deal of excitement or engagement during the build process. Their draw factor was the concept rather than execution; the Emerald Night was a rarity for being a Lego steam train, and anything Maersk is just plain fun. Who can resist that blue colour?

But the chances are, it is because they both resided out of a true product line that they failed to be complete products, whereas the Horizon Express - and seemingly all advanced trains in the future - now have objectives to abide by. This assures the quality over the entire product, and while some may complain that this striking locomotive doesn't have the unique attractions or USP of those previously mentioned products, the Horizon Express is far more than just a model to sit on a shelf and admire for its looks. It wants to be played with and sped around a track. Its build felt both very familiar of years gone by, yet countered by modern design philosophies.

In short, Horizon Express feels like a real Lego train. It is free from costly licensing, and is scaled to absolute perfection - almost precisely in the same way that the Metroliner was. While inspired by the French TGV trains, Horizon Express still looks unique and is a natural fit in the Lego world because its building elements are exposed, therefore demonstrating what work went into not just the design, but the build. Again, this trait has been visited countless times with recent Exclusive products.

So, Horizon Express is going to appeal not simply to train enthusiasts, but also Lego fans who want more challenge and logic in their trains than what City has to offer. At little under 6p per piece, with plenty of minigures and lots of lovely coloured and styled components, and judging from the scale of the train itself, this is an excellent value product that, fingers crossed, has ushered a new era of Lego trains.