We’ve been admirers of the LEGO trains from Sérgio Batista for some time now. Builing at 1:45 scale, Sérgio recreates the trains of his native Portugal in incredible detail, earning prizes and the attention of local media. In his latest project, it wasn’t the trains themselves but the setting that caught our attention – specifically the minifig-scale graffiti on the ruined buildings, walls, and train cars along the tracks. Some might call painting on bricks in this way vandalism, but we were taken by how immersive the effect is. It’s a side of life by the train tracks that you don’t often see in LEGO or models in general. We reached out to Sérgio to learn more about his love for LEGO trains and how he came to playing with graffiti in his latest work.
TBB: First off, how did you become interested in LEGO train modeling?
Sérgio Batista: Since childhood, I have been fascinated by trains. I was born in the ’80s and grew up in the ’90s, often riding suburban trains with my parents. As for LEGO, I had catalogs featuring the Metroliner, which had a design/shape similar to the Portuguese trains I used to ride (the CP 2300 series from the Sintra Line). However, it was an expensive set that my parents couldn’t afford, so it remained just a memory.
Years later, as an adult, I emerged from my dark age and bought the Metroliner on eBay around 2005/2006. That’s when I thought, what if I built Portuguese trains in LEGO? I searched online and discovered the work of builders like James Mathis and Raised on Brickshelf, and I figured I might be able to do the same. I came across BrickLink and began my journey to replicate Portuguese trains in LEGO.
At first, I built in 6-wide and 7-wide scales because the LUG I belonged to didn’t allow very large trains. A few years later, I left the LUG and contacted Raised to ask if he would mind me reverse-engineering his Nez Cassé NS1600 locomotive in 1:45 scale and adapting it into the CP 2600, the Portuguese version of the same model, the French Nez Cassé.
He responded positively and introduced me to two other excellent builders, Nicolas Tbx and Erwin Jacobs, who had also worked on and improved their own Nez Cassé models. These guys are the main reason I’m still doing this by the way!
I built my locomotive and then thought, I need carriages. I recreated the Arco carriages, which the Portuguese railway company had bought from Spain and restored. With them, I completed my first 1:45 scale train, which went on to win Best European Consist at the Brick Train Awards 2022.
I was also invited by the Portuguese Railway Company, CP Comboios de Portugal, to show my trains and make a video with them.
TBB: How do you select the trains and environments for your builds? What inspired you to depict more urban decay in your latest layout?
SB: After building some trains, I wanted to create a layout representing Portuguese railway lines. In Portugal, railway scenery typically falls into two extremes: either beautiful landscapes or abandoned, ruined buildings.
Since there were already layouts featuring scenic landscapes, bridges, and stations, I decided to focus on the “ugly side” building abandoned and run-down structures inspired by those found along Portugal’s main railway lines.
As a playful response to frequent requests for a steam locomotive, I also built a “dead” one completely rusted and overtaken by nature. In Portugal, we have several train cemeteries.
My layout is still a work in progress. It currently measures 12 baseplates in length by 2 in width and is built in the MILS standard.
It is inspired by Portugal, but it represents a scene common in many less-developed European countries.
TBB: What inspired you to add freestyle graffiti to your LEGO train scene?
SB: I’ve always liked graffiti, and during my teenage years, on those same train journeys, I began to appreciate this form of art. Of course, there’s a difference between real artwork and meaningless tags, as well as where they are placed. For example, I don’t like seeing graffiti on trains that are still in service, but in abandoned places or designated areas for street art, I really appreciate it.
As a teenager, I sketched a few graffiti pieces on paper, but when I picked up a spray can for the first time, it was a complete disaster—so I never pursued it. I’ve always enjoyed drawing and I’m not too bad at it, though I tend to paint more surrealist pieces. Even so, I’ve never stopped appreciating graffiti and following the work of various artists.
The idea of incorporating graffiti into my LEGO layout has been on my mind for a while. Initially, I thought about drawing on paper, digitizing it, and printing stickers. But then I wondered—what if I did it directly? For some, this might be considered heresy, but for me, it’s just something really fun.
TBB: Can you describe the process of applying graffiti to LEGO with pens? Was anything more challenging than you expected? Any tips for builders who might want to try this themselves?
SB: I’ve known about POSCA markers for a few years and their versatility. Their ink is water-based, meaning it doesn’t damage or chemically corrode plastic. Recently, I found a store selling them and decided to buy a few to try them out.
I did some tests directly on a building—probably a bit reckless, as I could have used loose pieces first, but I went straight for it. I wrote “test” and “done with POSCA”. The biggest challenge is that I’m not an experienced graffiti artist. My background, as a hobby, is in surrealist painting with pastels, watercolors, and acrylics—but nothing with the precise lines and geometric shapes typical of graffiti.
My biggest struggle is still that my hand shakes. Since I can’t rest it on the surface without smudging the work, it becomes even trickier. As POSCA markers dry quickly, I try to mask imperfections by layering over them.
For anyone wanting to experiment, I’d recommend testing on a separate plastic piece first. The advantage of this water-based ink is that once dry, it can be removed using a tissue with a bit of alcohol.
TBB: Have you displayed your graffiti tagged bricks in public? What sorts of reactions have you seen from other builders and fans?
SB: I recently started painting graffiti on LEGO pieces, about two weeks ago. So far, the few reactions I’ve received have been positive. Many people have asked me to paint one of my trains, but I refuse because I don’t like seeing graffiti on running trains.
However, I built an abandoned carriage that will be part of my layout at some point, and I used it as a canvas. The largest graffiti piece ironically says “This is Wrong”, while the others include “2025” and a tribute to the German LEGO railway event NOBA.
I haven’t displayed my work at a public event yet, but I will in May at a railway event here in Portugal, near Oporto where I usually participate with LEGO alongside other modelers. I even created a graffiti piece with the name of the event, “Entrelinhas” (Between Rails).
TBB: Is this a technique you’ll be continuing in the future?
SB: I will continue doing it whenever it feels appropriate. It’s not like I’m going to add graffiti everywhere, but I’ve already received requests from other AFOLs to write phrases or their names for them to use in their builds.
TBB: I see that you work on LEGO designs in Fortnite. Can you talk about how your experience building with physical bricks relates to your work in video games?
SB: Three years ago, I was invited to join a team creating virtual LEGO builds (Stud.io/LDD, etc.) for a video game. To be accepted, I had to go through several tests that required me to build in themes I wasn’t comfortable with, just to assess my versatility. I passed the tests and started working on builds based on client requests.
I’ll admit—it took me three months to fully understand what the project was for. However, due to an NDA, I couldn’t talk about it or share any details before the game’s release. Even now, I can’t reveal my builds until they appear in the game.
There are many challenges since we have to follow strict guidelines. We don’t physically build anything; everything is done using digital tools. Luckily, I already had a lot of experience—I’ve been using LEGO Digital Designer since 2008, and I frequently use Stud.io to design many of my own models.
The biggest challenges in this project are building things outside my comfort zone and doing them well, always striving for unique designs, and keeping up with my teammates—who are all incredible builders. Some of them have even been featured on The Brothers Brick, so they’re far from unknown in the LEGO community.
TBB: Thank you for your time and for sharing that amazing video!
SB: Thank you for this opportunity and wish you all the success keep up the excellent work at The Brothers Brick!
The post Tags and trains: Capturing the gritty side of the tracks in LEGO with Sérgio Batista [Interview] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.
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