#1: Recreating the Lost Changhua Station

 

As a LEGO MOC creator, the hardest part of every competition is often choosing a theme. This time, the competition’s theme was "Taiwan’s Historic Buildings." Finding a structure that is both iconic and possible to recreate vividly with LEGO became my biggest challenge.

The Struggle of Choosing a Subject

At first, I considered Taiwan’s famous temples, like Longshan Temple or Chihkan Tower, both significant in Taiwan’s architectural history. However, their intricate carvings, dougong brackets, and vibrant colors made them extremely difficult to replicate with LEGO.

Next, I thought about Taiwan’s historic railway stations, such as Taipei Station or the old Tainan Station. While these buildings are historically important, they are well-documented and have already been recreated by many MOC builders, making them less unique.

After extensive research, I stumbled upon a lost treasure—Changhua Station (1918). Built during the Japanese colonial era, this station was a major railway landmark but was demolished in the mid-1900s. It featured a unique blend of Japanese and Western architectural styles, with red brick walls and wooden structures. Not only was it a historically significant building, but it was also a topic that hadn’t been widely explored in the LEGO MOC community.

Once I finalized my choice, I began gathering materials to bring this lost station back to life with LEGO.

Reconstructing History: Research & 3D Modeling

Since Changhua Station no longer exists, finding reference materials became my first major challenge. I scoured the internet for historical photos and records but found only a few scattered images. To dig deeper, I reached out to railway historians and even visited the Changhua County Cultural Affairs Bureau to gather more valuable information.

Through these efforts, I obtained some rare old photographs and referenced Japanese-era railway architecture to reconstruct the station’s appearance. Then, using digital modeling software, I created an initial LEGO design.

Challenges & Breakthroughs

1. Material & Color Selection
   The 1918 Changhua Station was built primarily of red bricks, with wooden beams and a black tile roof. However, LEGO’s standard red bricks lacked the weathered texture of old buildings. To solve this, I mixed various shades of red and brown to simulate the aged look.

2. Roof Structure Design
   Japanese-era buildings often had complex rooflines, which were hard to replicate using LEGO’s standard slope bricks. I used small LEGO elements to create subtle angles and added wooden beam details to make the structure more historically accurate.

3. Station Surroundings
   To make the model more immersive, I recreated the platform, rickshaws, and even passengers in traditional kimonos, bringing the lost station back to life.

Conclusion

This LEGO MOC challenge was not just a test of technical skills but also a journey through history. From struggling to pick a topic, to hunting for historical data, to overcoming building difficulties, every step deepened my appreciation for this once-standing landmark.

LEGO is more than just a toy—it’s a way to tell stories. Through this creation, I hope more people will learn about Changhua Station and develop a greater interest in Taiwan’s railway history.

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See Final Work in Display: The Timber Terminal – Changhua’s Golden Age Station 

01 Recreating - 02 Coloring  - 03 Parts Inventory  - 04 Karahafu Roof  - 05 Colombage Skill  - 06 Main Roof  - 07 Steam train  - 08 Vintage Bus  - 09 Tree and Shelter  - 10 Final