THE pieces are firmly in place for a LEGO® -themed summer at Rheged, where an exhibition dedicated to the Danish brick has already attracted 10,000 visitors.
The showcase - Bricks in Time: Hands on History in LEGO - is curated by Bright Bricks, the only professional model makers in the UK to be endorsed by the world-famous toy company.
An eight-metre long replica of the Flying Scotsman is the centrepiece of the show at the Penrith attraction, which brings to life important historical moments in more than half-a-million bricks.
The 1-in-10 scale model locomotive took more than 550 hours to build from around 100,000 individual pieces. Ed Diment from Brights Bricks said: "We’ve worked on LEGO projects of all shapes and sizes over the years. This new model of the Flying Scotsman is quite possibly the loveliest thing we’ve ever made from LEGO. We’ve used the inside of the carriages to tell a story and imagine what life was like when the train was first in service."
The exhibition runs until Sunday, September 4, and is open 10am-5pm daily.
Among the 25-plus models, visitors can marvel at a giant diorama of Saxon life, a model of Beatrix Potter and her creations, a Roman villa, a two-metre-long model of HMS Victory, Tudor monarchs, a tableau of the Great Fire of London, a Viking longboat, a Victorian high street and a large model of Lowther Castle, all bustling with 'minifigs' and LEGO characters dressed in period costumes.
Young LEGO enthusiasts can bring history to life during hands-on activities such as racing a wind-powered train, creating a model for the zip wire, constructing catapults and creating family portraits in LEGO.
Bright Bricks was founded by Duncan Titmarsh, who gave up his job fitting kitchens to follow his passion for LEGO building. He is one of only 14 LEGO-certified professionals in the world, and the only one in the UK.
The company that Duncan runs with business partner Ed Diment employs more than 30 people and is housed in three large warehouses in rural Hampshire, completing projects across the world for museums and major corporations.
For the full Rheged exhibition programme, and to book workshops and activities online, visit www.rheged.com
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