The mechanical bull that wowed crowds at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games’ opening ceremony is to be given a full-time home in the city’s main railway station.
The 32ft-tall creation, known as the Raging Bull, is to be installed in the atrium of Birmingham New Street station, Network Rail said. At the end of the Games, the mechanical marvel was visited by around four million people while in its temporary home in Centenary Square in Birmingham city centre.
Then, in September 2022, it was covered up and put in a car park in Ladywood, Birmingham, where fears were raised that it would be left to deteriorate. However, city chiefs vowed that it would eventually be found a more fitting resting place. Council bosses and regional mayor Andy Street have now hailed as “fantastic” news that the bull will soon be greeting the station’s 800,000 weekly footfall of passengers and pedestrians.
As it was never intended to have a life after the games as a cultural feature, the metal beast is still being modified to become a permanent fixture. The two-and-a-half ton creation, designed in homage to the city’s contribution to the Industrial Revolution, will be positioned at the station in the summer.
Peter Hendy, Network Rail chairman, said the bull had “captivated the nation, cementing itself as an icon for host city Birmingham”, adding there was “no better place than Birmingham New Street’s huge concourse and atrium” for the showpiece. Ian Reid, Birmingham Commonwealth Games’ chief executive, said the choice of location meant the bull would “continue to be a key attraction for visitors to Birmingham for years to come”.
Cllr Ian Ward, Birmingham City Council leader, said: “It’s fantastic that we have been able to find a home for the Raging Bull in the heart of Birmingham. There were many stars during our unforgettable summer of sport and culture – but none were bigger and bolder than the bull.”
Andy Street, West Midlands mayor, said the announcement meant the bull would be “enjoyed, marvelled at and photographed by local people and visitors alike in the months and years ahead”.
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