What started off 6 years ago as some outside fairy lights, has quickly escalated into a full-blown synchronised sound and light extravaganza.

Preparation for the next years event has already started, even before the current display has been taken down, with new design ideas and lighting arrangements being dreamed up.

The physical set up started in July last year, with confirming of the theme, wielding up the giant sculptures, that the lights will be arranged on and searching the internet for new and unique lights and christmas themed figures to add to this already huge collection.  Intertwined into the lighting show was Maureen’s 1933 Plymouth Delux Hotrod running a 350 Chev V8 engine and Carl’s 1929 Ford C Cab Hotrod, powered by a 302 Ford V8 engine, the couple’s other passion when not lighting up the world.

2011’s show consisted of approx.150,000 lights, 180 multi boxes, 420 extension cables and used 22.5 kw of power.  A search light  also was bought in, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, to help Santa find his way.  Just incase he didn’t see the other 150,000 blinking, flashing, strobing lights – pulsing to the likes of Metallica’s Enter Sandman.

2012 multiplied to over 300,000 lights and two search lights and Christmas 2013 display has around 400,000 lights to dazzle you with.

The display uses light-o-rama controllers and software, 256 channels are incorporated into the light show. Sequencing took on average 46 hours for a 3 minute lighting show.

The list of songs that were sequenced are:

Metallica “Enter Sandman”
Brian May (Queen) “Resurrection”
Emerson Lake & Palmer “Fanfare for the common man”
Pat Benitar ” All fired up”
Twisted Sister ” Come all ye faithful”
Snoopy’s Christmas
Alvan and the chipmunks
There was a song playing with the lights every 6 minutes.

Being based just outside of Hornby has its advantages, less traffic to be held up by all the visitors and the neighbours are far enough away to not be kept awake by the lights and sound.  Which is a good thing, as over 40,000 people came through in December 2011!