**This article was posted on April 1 2021. Unfortunately it isn’t true. It’s a Joke. Just as well: the VIP system struggles under load enough as it is…**

Tomorrow is the second of April, known to some as 4×2 Day, and to celebrate the Global Day of LEGO® Play, an exciting addition is coming to the LEGO.com VIP Centre tomorrow:

If you have been keeping your eye on the world of AFOL collectables for any period of time, you will be aware of the ‘Grangemouth’ Marbled 2×4 bricks. Produced by the Borg-Warner factory in Grangemouth, Scotland in the late 70’s these brightly mixed coloured 2×4’s have been part of a global trading network between AFOLs.

The factory was involved in producing plastic for inclusion in LEGO Bricks, and the company had been loaned a number of molds over the years. The multicoloured bricks were created by a couple of well meaning factory workers under the cover of darkness for local children, probably after the completion of the testing program. The bricks were, however, discovered by representatives of the LEGO Group, and the molds being subsequently retrieved by the Danish Toy Maker with extreme predjudice.

The bricks eventually made their way into the wild, and have been traded by fans over the years, who have wowed audiences on Flickr and Instagram with their vibrant marbled brilliance.

In the past, the LEGO Group have sponsored building challenges and fan events to commemorate 2×4 Day. With lockdowns still occurring around the world in the light of the CPVID-19 Pandemic, organising mass gatherings of LEGO fans anywhere except for regional Australia was not going to be an option.

So for this year’s 2×4 day the LEGO Group is giving fans the opportunity to own a selection of recreated ‘Grangemouth style’ bricks – produced using contemporary molding and colouring techniques.

Today, this is going to change: to celebrate the 42nd anniversary of the LEGO Group reclaiming those molds, as well as the forthcoming ‘LEGO Day’ – 4×2 day (April second), the LEGO Group have announced a limited release of sets of 6 marbled bricks, freshly created in the Billund factory.

Data Analytics Guru and Chief Cookie Tracker Julya Goldwin Explains: “We have been keeping an eye on the internet traffic relating to these bootleg marbled bricks over the years. With the pandemic, adult collectors have been holding on to these little bricks of joy and it has become apparent that they are not moving around the same way that they used to. On top of that, the 18+ initiative we introduced last year has seen an increasing number of new AFOLs join the hobby. These people are intrigued by these beauties, but have been unable to find a way to start collecting such relics, at an affordable price point.”

To this end, the LEGO Group are producing a limited run of sets of 6 marbled 2×4 bricks, to be made available in the VIP Centre to be redeemed for 3001 VIP Points. “The Grangemouth bricks were created by putting ABS pellets of different colours through the mold simultaneously. Given the current techniques which involve adding pigment directly to uncoloured pellets in the mold, we have had to retool a couple of our modern molds to allow the injection of multiple pigments in different parts of the brick, to achieve the marbled effect. Fortunately, through carefully programmed apertures and varying the pressures in the pigment injection systems, we can ensure that each brick will be unique.”

“These bricks will be distributed in a new, highly degradable box, which is stable under typical domestic storage conditions for up to 6 months, before if completely degrades, leaving a blue smear, and unprotected contents in its stead. It will be virtually impossible for anyone to keep these bricks ‘Mint in Box’ for any significant period of time, and so they will not be suitable for hoarding: fans will be able to reconnect with the community by trading these unique elements around the world, essentially reinjecting them into a brick based economy.”

Of course, with the full range of the current LEGO colour palette available, including opalescent variants, these bricks will possibly be far more colourful than those seen in the past. Who knows, they might even use some of the flourescent pigments in the bricks.

With these bricks becoming available tomorrow for redeeming 3001 VIP points at the VIP Centre on 2×4 day ( or 4×2 day, depending on where you live – either way, it will be the second of April), you will want to be quick. I can’t imagine that stocks will remain for long: these will be a highly desirable collectable for a new generation of LEGO Fan. It will be a blessed relief for many who were hoping to be able to redeem points for the Ulysses Space Probe, to go with their Creator Expert Space Shuttle Discovery, only to find the promotion delayed at the last minute.

Is your community doing any activities for 2×4 Day? Did I publish too late in the day for you to know why I wrote this? Leave your comments below and until next time,

Play Well!