In with the bricks at Centre
Model train has 100,000 bricks in construction
Thousands of LEGO fans descended on The Centre, Livingston to see a unique display of carefully built bricks.
Visitors flocked to the mall to see an eight-metre-long model of the Flying Scotsman train, which took 550 hours to build and 100,000 bricks.
The five-day event also boasted a giant DUPLO brick pit for little ones, ‘Make and Take’ model building sessions, a Minifigures Zone and a live public art display to create a 2m x 2m LEGO bricks shopping centre mosaic to be displayed in the mall.
We are absolutely delighted with the huge success of our Lego event
Over 300,000 visitors from as far as Aberdeen and Newcastle descended on Livingston’s shopping centre to see an amazing display.
The eight- metre- long LEGO bricks Flying Scotsman took 550 hours to build by four people and featured intricate details including a sleeping compartment, restaurant and kitchen, totalling 100,000 bricks.
And it was on show at The Centre as part of a special event.
After a year researching the history of The Flying Scotsman, which was the first and fastest locomotive to travel from Edinburgh to London in 1923, the builders from Bright Bricks - Lauren Sears, Kirsty House, Nick Barrett and Chris Kedge, set to work to create a stunning 1:10 ratio replica.
Lauren, who has a carriage named after her, said: “My role in the building of this masterpiece was to design the furniture in the Pullman carriages which I spent a lot of time researching as I wanted to make sure I could translate the details as best as I could.
“To see the reaction from people in The Centre, Livingston, who are spending a great deal of time looking at every detail in awe is an incredible feeling.
“It is definitely a project that I have loved every minute being a part of, especially as I grew up playing with LEGO bricks and to this day, I’m still a big fan.
“There has been many highlights along the way in the creation of the train, with one being invited to dinner on the actual Flying Scotsman itself - it was incredible to see the Pullman carriages in person and sit on the same seats I had created out of LEGO bricks.”
The LEGO bricks five-day event at the mall event came to an end on Sunday (April 8) and aimed at giving families the chance to not only shop and eat together, but also play.
Highlights also included a giant DUPLO brick pit for little ones, ‘Make and Take’ model building sessions, a Minifigures Zone and a live public art display to create a 2m x 2m LEGO bricks shopping centre mosaic to be displayed in the mall.
Ashley Bisland, deputy centre director at The Centre, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the huge success of our LEGO bricks event. People travelled from all over for the event, especially to get a glimpse of The Flying Scotsman which is an incredible example of impressive LEGO bricks model building. Many adults spent time sharing memories of the train and children watched in wonder, inspired by what they too could build.”