Will Big Ben (21013) Be Repackaged with New Name?

MorkMan

So now that it's official, will TLG rename/redo/update Big Ben to reflect the new name? Elizabeth Tower, to me, doesn't have quite the ring (pun intended) that Big Ben does.

madforLEGO

Well I thought someone from the U.K said that 'Big Ben' actually is the Bell not the tower.
So wouldn't it just be Big Ben in the Elizabeth tower?

CCC

No. I doubt if many people will call it the Elizabeth Tower, either. People will still refer to it as Big Ben. Few people know / care which is St Stephens Tower and Victoria Tower.

LegobrandonCP

It will always be Big Ben for me. I bet it is just fused into everyone's mind as Big Ben and it is just hard to call it Elizabeth Tower.

evileddie1313

Time to pick up a "BIG BEN" just in case LEGO changes the name. ;-)

madforLEGO

We have the same thing in Chicago. The name for Sears Tower changed to Willis Tower when that company bought naming rights, but most still call it Sears Tower (Even though Sears moved out long ago)

mressin

As long as 99% of the world population will go "Elizabeth Tower? What's that?", Lego certainly won't rename anything. ;)

MorkMan

It will always be Big Ben for me. I bet it is just fused into everyone's mind as Big Ben and it is just hard to call it Elizabeth Tower.

Me too, after all these years, it will be hard to change.

LegoFanTexas

It is true that it is the bell that is Big Ben, not the tower, but no one cares, everyone looks at it and says "oh, there is Big Ben.

And that is how it should always be. :)

One interesting thing... Queen Elizabeth's 60 years on the throne is matched only by Queen Victoria, in all of England's history.

y2josh

As long as 99% of the world population will go "Elizabeth Tower? What's that?", Lego certainly won't rename anything. ;)

I'd probably say the same thing about the far less popular name 'Willis Tower' but LEGO has inexplicably marketed it as such.

Istokg

From what I've been reading the 2 towers were officially known as the Victoria Tower and the Clock Tower... with the name change reflecting the only British Queens to be in power for at least 60 years (Victoria made it nearly 64 years).

Originally the Dean of Westminster Abbey wanted a different way to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee... and that was by putting a crown of some sorts onto the "stump" of a cross tower over Westminster Abbey, and naming the resulting "tower" after Elizabeth). Well that came to naught... so this was an inexpensive way to honor her majesty without spending a pence.

By the way, a 19th century plan by architect J. Pollard Seddon was to complete Westminster Abbey with a crossing tower to rival the twin western towers, and also to build a very massive tower (possibly for use for archives) in the Victorian Gothic Style.

By the way, the top of this never-built tower where there's a large open area... that was similar in design to the unfulfilled plan to put an open cross "crown" onto the very understated crossing "pyramid" of Westminster Abbey. But funds were never raised for such an undertaking... and this Elizabeth Tower idea has replaced it.

FYI, the longest reigning male UK monarch was George III (reigned 1760-1820). However he only made it 9 months shy of 60 years.

Other long reigning British monarchs were Elizabeth I (1558-1603), Henry III (1216-1272) and Edward III (1327-1377).

Istokg

Also... the name change may make the set very popular during her diamond jubilee... LEGO marketing at work!

All the royal jubilee's provide a large boost in tourist income during those years. British china makers Royal Daulton, Spode, Royal Worcestershire, Lennox and others do a booming business with souvenirs during royal years, as do lesser firms.

And lest we forget... TLG principal owner Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen owns at least 50,000 acres of her majesty's United Kingdom.... ;-)

Sherlockbones

I'll still call it Big Ben..

It's like Newcastle's St James park, Mike Ashley called it something like Sports Direct arena?=, we still call it St James Park

LegobrandonCP

They renamed the local hockey/concert stadium as Rogers Arena, but most of us still call it GM Place.

bellybutton290

@madforLEGO I work for said Willis company that renamed the beloved Sears tower. Most people I work with still call it sears tower even though we work for the company (albeit in the UK). Lego issued it twice to reflect the offcial name change to Willis from sears so big ben could go the same way and go for the new official name quite easily though have to agree it could hurt sales more so than the Sears/Willis thing.

Istokg

@madforLEGO I work for said Willis company that renamed the beloved Sears tower. Most people I work with still call it sears tower even though we work for the company (albeit in the UK). Lego issued it twice to reflect the offcial name change to Willis from sears so big ben could go the same way and go for the new official name quite easily though have to agree it could hurt sales more so than the Sears/Willis thing.

I could see them changing the name from Big Ben.... to "Elizabeth Tower with Big Ben".

CCC

They called it Big Ben, when that wasn't its name. So there is no need to change it, since it is still not called Big Ben. Although they could probably issue a new tile with Elizabeth Tower on it, and charge £5 for it.

andhe

I could see them changing the name from Big Ben.... to "Elizabeth Tower with Big Ben".

But the building is of the tower isn't it? Not what's inside.

But I'm sure it's not the only landmark that gets called by a name that's entered common knowledge rather than it's actual name! ('Cupid/Eros' at Piccadilly Circus springs to mind).

CCC

Gherkin, Post Office Tower, even Tower Bridge gets referred to as London Bridge by some that don't realise there is more than one bridge in London.

mrseatle

At the store here it is called "clock tower", I don't recall seeing "Big Ben" anywhere on the box...

Btw... Grand Emporium is supposed to be Herods' department store right?

CCC

Take a look at the tile in front of it.



I don't know if GE is meant to look like Harrods. It is a it small if it is! It just looks like a classic grand corner shop. There are loads of similar ones all over Europe.

mrseatle

Oh, thanks, I guess i was thinking of the tower bridge set.

khmellymel

They renamed the local hockey/concert stadium as Rogers Arena, but most of us still call it GM Place.

Oh, yeeeaaaah, the Garage. No way I'm switching to the Phone Booth...