Supersize me – Beauxbatons’ Carriage just got bigger…

A LEGO set is typically a trade-off between price and size. Creating an accurate model of Beauxbatons’ carriage, with its huge size and a dozen winged horses pulling it, would have been an expensive set. Given the limited screen time it had in the movies, it is understandable that the 2019 Beauxbatons’ carriage set was somewhat moderate in size (though still not at all cheap). For a while, I have worked on creating a bigger version and finally, it is ready to to be shown…

The Beauxbatons’ carriage was a light-blue carriage pulled by a dozen Abraxans used to transport the staff and students of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic to the Tri-wizard tournament at Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The Abraxan is a special breed of Winged horse, and they are both gigantic and extremely powerful.

“As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powderblue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house, soaring toward them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.“

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

In LEGO, we know it mainly from set 75958 – Beauxbatons’ Carriage: Arrival at Hogwarts from 2019, which I reviewed when it came out. It filled a gap in available LEGO Harry Potter sets as the Durmstrang Ship (set 4768) had previously been released back in 2005, but with no similar set available for the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic’s arrival at Hogwarts.

We did however also see the carriage in micro-scale in the 2020 advent calendar. Together with the micro-scale versions of Hogwarts and the Durmstrang ship, which we also got in the advent calendar, I turned those into a 3D version of the Goblet of Fire book as seen below.

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If you want to build a copy yourself, you can find the instructions and part list here.

But this post is not about micro-scale. In this case, I wanted to go big. More specifically, I wanted to supersize the 2019 version of the carriage. I sourced an extra copy of the set to see where I would get to now having two sets.

I pulled the original model apart and mixed it with the new parts. With plenty of parts to build with, I thought it would be relatively straightforward, but it took a lot longer than what I had expected.

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I started by getting a feel for the size of the base, wanting it both longer, wider and ultimately taller than the original. But I also wanted to restrict myself to only use the bricks from the two sets alone. In the end, after much deliberation, I wasn’t quite happy with that size I could achieve, and gave in – ordering some additional bright blue bricks to increase the height by a brick or two compared to what I could have done with the two sets alone. And while I was at it, I ordered a few extra winged horses – taking my total to eight.

Waiting for the bricks to arrive, I started on other projects. As result, this project was put on the back burner – and it sat there for a month or two, before I got back to it. Not being limited by the bricks allowed me to progress it much faster, though I did end up having to put in yet another order, as I had underestimated how many extra bricks I actually needed.

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In the end, I was quite in a hurry, as I had an event I wanted to display it at. Together with a friend, we were going to do a 20th Anniversary of LEGO Harry Potter display with a number of our MOCs, and it would be a nice addition to my series of Goblet of Fire MOCs, which also includes scenes from all three Tri-wizard tournament challenges and the subsequent duel at the graveyard.

I finished the carriage literally the night before the exhibition started, along with a hastily build landscape to put it on.

Here are a couple of other photos of the completed model.

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We see Headmistress Madame Maxime and students Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour exiting the carriage. I wish the Beauxbatons hat/hairpiece would come with other hair colour than blond, to create additional students without them all looking like they are related.

Apart from the exterior, I have completed the interior as well. To access it, the roof lifts off easily.

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With the roof off, one side opens as the original model, showing the two levels inside – a lower level with a kitchen and lounge area, and the top level with beds, chest of drawers and a mirror. Click on the photos below for a better view.

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Back on the outside, in the corner of the MOC we find Hagrid. He has been given the task to look after the flying horses during the Beauxbatons’ visit, though Madame Maxime is concerned as they are very strong.

‘I assure you that Hagrid will be well up to the job,’ said Dumbledore, smiling.

‘Very well,’ said Madame Maxime, bowing slightly, ‘will you please inform zis ’Agrid zat ze ’orses drink only single-malt whisky?’

‘It will be attended to,’ said Dumbledore, also bowing.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

So next to Hagrid, I’ve added a brick built bottle of single malt whisky. Now he can feed the horses. I’ll take any leftovers myself.

Overall, I’m very happy with the outcome – having some concerns mid way how it would turn out. It supplements my Goblet of Fire series of MOCs perfectly. I’m planning a page that summarises all these MOCs once I have finished photographing them all appropriately.

I have always wondered how Hogwarts students would travel to another school for a similar competition. Maybe they would go flying on thestrals? That would look awesome – as most students where they arrive wouldn’t be able to see the thestrals, just the riders hanging in free air.

But I better get back to my other models, so they can be presented too. And a few more reviews are coming up as well. So check back soon…

Till then, Build the Magic!

I would like to thank LEGO for kindly providing me with a copy of the set, so I could show how much bigger you could go with two sets. As usual, any views and opinions expressed at my own though.