Life is a LEGO Loop Coaster (Just Got to Ride It)
How to best display your LEGO Fairground Attraction
It’s time for the thrill ride of your LEGO lives. Strap your minifigures in, lower the bars and get ready to reach for the clouds as you raise the carriage up the 92cm vertical lift to the top of the tower. Hold on tight and get ready to scream as your minifigures descend through 2 loop-the-loops, watched by fairground fanatics and vendors.
The LEGO Icons Loop Coaster (10303) is one of the most thrilling new LEGO sets in some time. It can currently be seen in action on display in LEGO stores across the globe, entertaining crowds with its intelligently designed working roller-coaster. It’s safe to say that collectors are hooked by the set’s interactive function, and we couldn’t resist taking our own set along to LFCC recently (see below!)
How Does the LEGO Icons Loop Coaster Work?
The lead LEGO Designer for the set was Pierre Normandin, who had previously worked on other designs – including trains – for LEGO City and LEGO Icons. It is the first time that loops have been used on a roller-coaster set, and the team decided early on that this should be one of the leading features.
“We started building and we came quickly to the conclusion that we could do loops if we could have enough speed,” said Pierre. “While building LEGO models is different from the real world, it can be similar in many ways, and we realized early that there were many challenges regarding the physics of the roller-coaster.”
The train needs a strong burst of speed to successfully pass through the two loops. This is achieved through gravity plunging the carriage down just the right amount of vertical track. At 92cm high, this is one of the tallest LEGO builds to date, but the whole set still manages to remain neatly contained within one area. This is primarily achieved through the clever use of a tower instead of the usual hill ramp found on real-world coasters.
The lift tower is nothing short of a LEGO engineering marvel, using a counterweight to slowly send the lift back to the bottom once the train has begun its descent.
What Else Is Included in The LEGO Icons Loop Coaster Set?
The LEGO Loop Coaster set contains 3756 pieces. In addition to the vibrant blue frame and yellow track, the whole set is enhanced by plenty of extra details. The lift tower includes large lettering spelling out “LOOP”, which really helps the set stand out, especially when placed as part of a wider LEGO Fairground or LEGO City diorama. We especially love the attention to detail in the queueing area, which includes a palm tree, turnstiles, a control panel, and photographs of LEGO minifigures riding the coaster!
The set comes with 11 minifigures, ranging from fairground workers to riders. Worker roles include a balloonist, ride operator, hot dog vendor and pretzel seller. Six of the minifigures also include dual-sided heads with amusing expressions of alarm for when they ride.
The set includes all the overpriced food stalls and vendors you would expect to find near the ride. Special mention also goes to the stickered fairground map next to the bench, along with the stylised ride entrance archway – complete with rider height restrictions and witty warning signs.
How To Display and Protect Your LEGO Icons Loop Coaster
Our high-quality acrylic display case is the perfect way to keep your LEGO Loop Coaster set protected from dust and environmental damage such as spills, knocks and fingerprints. With fully transparent materials on each side, it is also great for showing off the set to your friends.
In a first for iDisplayit, the top of the case is uniquely contoured to your model at a 40-degree angle to match the Loop Coaster’s unique shape. We’ve also included a disguised flap to allow easy access to the motorised/manual element that controls the lift – perfect for when you want to operate the rollercoaster without removing the case. An additional flap is provided on the angled side to allow access to the model if the coaster gets stuck, or you want to move some of the minifigures around.
Our display case is held together using our exclusive screw fittings and is delivered flat-packed with clear instructions for assembly.
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