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The Wheel Turns Slowly
The London Eye is a moderate challenge Iconx model. It only has about 35 unique pieces on two sheets of metal with 12 assembly steps, but some of those pieces are repeated multiple times. When completed in 1999, the Millennium Wheel (as it was called then) was the world's tallest Ferris wheel.
If you think Metal Earth models are just too small, Iconx was made for you. Their larger size can accommodate even more laser-etched detail on 4" x 8" (10.16 x 20.32 cm) metal sheets. Pop out the pieces by hand (or use wire cutters to get especially crisp lines), bend the tabs using needle-nose pliers, and fit them together as shown in the simple pictorial instructions.
Please note that Iconx models have sharp edges and are not suitable for small children. Recommended for ages 14+.
Are you curious...?
The London Eye's official name was originally the British Airways London Eye, then the Merlin Entertainment London Eye, then the EDF Energy London Eye, and since 2015 it's been the Coca-Cola London Eye. A lot of Londoners still call it the Millennium Wheel. Whatever you want to call it, the London Eye is 443' tall (135 m) and was the world's biggest Ferris wheel until 2006. Three other wheels have surpassed it, but since the London Wheel is supported on one side only it's still the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel. So there.
Why a Ferris wheel? The London Eye was inspired by the Great Wheel built for the Empire of India Exhibition in 1895. That 308' (94 m) tall structure, modeled on the original Chicago Ferris wheel, carried over 2.5 million passengers before it was shut down in 1906. The Great Wheel had 40 passenger cars that held 40 people apiece. The London Eye has 32 sealed and air-conditioned capsules (one for each London borough) accommodating 25 people, who can freely walk about the cabin. The wheel rotates so slowly at 0.6 mph (0.9 kph) that it doesn't even need to stop to change passengers, although sometimes it does pause for elderly and disabled riders. It's not going to win any speed records at 30 minutes per revolution.