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Wednesday 12 Jul 2023

Welcoming party planned for Ozzy the bull’s New Street station reveal

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North West & Central

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An exciting day of events will take place to welcome Ozzy the bull back to Birmingham when he’s officially unveiled at New Street station later this month.

The star of last year’s Commonwealth Games opening ceremony will be revealed to the public in exactly two weeks on Wednesday 26 July.

Currently the 10-metre-high moving sculpture is being built behind huge hoardings on the station concourse.

With most of the structure now up, over the next few weeks complex work creating his mechanised movements and testing them will take place.

Passengers and station users will get to see his first performance, which includes a moving head, roar, swishing tail and lit-up eyes, at lunchtime on unveiling day.

Across the station that day there will also be face painting, a brass band and dance performances to welcome Ozzy to his new station home.

The official unveiling on 26 July is just before the first anniversary of the opening ceremony, when Ozzy – then known as Raging Bull – was revealed on the world stage for the first time.

Originally he was only designed for a one-off performance on that night before being destined for the scrap heap.

However, after thousands came to see him when he was temporarily on display in Centenary Square during the 12-day multi-sport event, a public campaign was launched to keep him for good and save him from going in the bin.

So earlier this year, Network Rail and the West Midlands Combined Authority stepped in to save the bull for the city, announcing that Birmingham New Street station would be his forever home.

Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill and Network Rail chair, said: “Excitement has been building for months and the question we’ve had most is ‘when exactly are you unveiling Ozzy?’.  It’s great to be able to confirm the date and set out our exciting plans to welcome our big beast back to Birmingham.

“We’re expecting visitors from far and wide to travel to the heart of Britain’s railway to see him. Judging by the response we’ve already had I’m sure he’ll prove to be a very popular attraction, which is great for the station, for the city and the wider economy.”

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “It’s the news that we’ve all been waiting for and we now know when Ozzy’s hometown unveiling will be. This iconic Bull captured the spirit of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and has captivated our hearts as the works at New Street Station take place to welcome Ozzy home. I cannot wait to see Ozzy take pride of place – thrilling tourists and local people in the months and years ahead.”

To mark one year since the games Birmingham City Council will also hold 'Festival 23', which will take place in Centenary Square between 28 July – 6 August.

• Read more: Birmingham Festival 2023

The bull has gone through a major redesign by its original creators - special effects company Artem - to make him suitable to be put on permanent indoor display.

Last month the public overwhelmingly voted for the bull to be called Ozzy, after heavy metal legend and Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who's originally from Birmingham.

• Read again: Ozzy overwhelmingly tops public poll at New Street bull’s new name

To follow progress updates on how Ozzy is coming together you can follow @NetworkRailBHM on Twitter.