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Wednesday 24 May 2023

New footage released of ‘Raging Bull’ as naming competition launched

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Latest pictures of the Commonwealth Games’ ‘Raging Bull’ have been released to kick-off a naming competition ahead of it coming home to Birmingham New Street station this summer.

Today (Wednesday 24 May) Network Rail and the West Midlands Combined Authority have launched a nationwide competition to give the bull a permanent new name.

For the next two weeks people can email their name suggestions to namethebull@networkrail.co.uk, and by Wednesday 7 June the top names will be shortlisted.

These will then be put to a public vote with the final name being revealed by 23 June ahead of the bull’s official unveiling in the station towards the end of July.

The much-loved centrepiece to last year’s Games’ opening ceremony is undergoing major work to make it suitable for its new home on the station concourse.

Special effects designers Artem, which originally built the bull, are re-moulding new parts so it meets fire regulations and fitting exciting new mechanisms so its head, eyes and tail can continue to move in similar ways to how they did during the Games.

Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, chair of Network Rail, said: “Much work has been going on to get the bull ready for its new home at Birmingham New Street, where it will be a towering piece of art admired by the thousands of people who use the station every day.

“As the internationally recognised symbol of the hugely successful Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last summer, for which the railway family worked hard to make travel to and from the  Games a success, Network Rail is honoured to be entrusted with this much loved icon for public display.”

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Thanks to Network Rail’s sterling efforts, the bull will soon have a permanent home back in Birmingham. It’s brilliant news that such a treasure will soon be returned – one that so perfectly captured the spirit of the 2022 Commonwealth Games we were so fortunate to play host to. As well as being a delightful attraction for tourists and local people to marvel at and enjoy, the bull will always be a reminder of our success – spurring us on to even greater heights in the months and years ahead. I cannot wait to see it back home and I’m sure residents right across our region feel the same.”

Mike Kelt, CEO of special effects company Artem, said: “It has been an honour to remake the Bull so it can live on to remind everyone of the Commonwealth experience, and the fantastic history that is locked up in Birmingham’s past.”

The upgrades to the bull are due to be completed in the coming weeks when it will then be brought to Birmingham and reassembled before a grand unveiling ahead of the first anniversary of the Commonwealth Games.