LEGO Creator Expert 10258 London Bus review

The LEGO Group’s 10258 London Bus set expands on the popular Creator Expert range of vehicles – does this new addition meet the standard and build quality that we’ve come to expect?

Price: £109.99 / $139.99 / €119.99 Pieces: 1,686 Available: Now

10258 London Bus is an affectionate build based on the AEC Routemaster double-decker bus that was designed by London Transport and was in production from the mid-1950s until the late-1960s. The original version has retained its iconic status within British culture and has been recognised as one of the nation’s top design icons. Given such accolades, I’m not surprised that the LEGO Group has decided to immortalise the London Bus in brick form in a set that I believe will have wide appeal across bus and brick fanatics alike.

First impressions are positive as the box works really well with the bright-red bus set against a scene of London in the early evening, as well as images of the rear boarding deck and a view of the first deck from above which also describes the scale. And while on the subject of scale, 10258 London Bus is not in scale with the other vehicles in the Creator Expert vehicle range – which may be an issue for some, but I understand that this has been scaled for shelf display and a larger build would of course have pushed the set to a much higher price point.

The build is split across four sets of bags, the first of which is focused on the first deck of the bus which includes the rear boarding deck complete with hand pole, a half-spiral staircase, accessible engine and driver’s cab. Accessories include two tickets printed on 1×2 tiles and a discarded umbrella. The seating is a very effective use of tan curved slopes and clips which combined with the use of black taps for the legs underneath produces a great overall effect.

The build moves on to the sightseeing deck, again including some accessories – a forgotten newspaper and a presumably empty beverage can – someone has been littering. This part of the build also includes the reversible advertising posters that have been designed to give you a choice between a 1950s or a present day London promotion. The final part of the build is the removable roof, the final part in producing this instantly recognisable icon.

As a build experience I cannot fault 10258 London Bus. There is an abundance of really fascinating build techniques that kept me engaged throughout. The only part of this build that felt repetitive was building some of the seating, but that does not detract from the fact that this is a wonderful set to get to grips with. The techniques used produce the delightful curves to create an appealing overall aesthetic. The designers have perfectly executed this set and have struck a great balance between an affectionate and charming completed build.

The most subtle use of a part is the 1×1 pink round plate, representing a piece of chewing gum that has been stuck underneath a seat. While not immediately obvious, it does demonstrate the thought that has gone into the design that extends to the stickers which add further depth beyond the worn-out seat details and the destination signage.

This is a worthy addition to the LEGO Creator Expert range in a build that has been beautifully thought out. I would strongly recommend this set for collectors of the range as it makes for a great display set, and I’m certain that there is also a wider appeal to bus enthusiasts who have a fondness for this great icon.

This product was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

10258 London Bus is available now at shop.LEGO.com. You can help support Brick Fanatics’ work by using our affiliate links.