The mechanical bull that formed the centrepiece of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony is to be named after one of the city’s most famous sons: Ozzy Osbourne.
The name of the Black Sabbath singer was chosen by a public poll, winning 70% of the votes to beat Brummie, Bostin and Boulton. Ozzy, who was originally destined for the scrapyard, will now be placed at Birmingham New Street station.
“I’m absolutely blown away,” said Osbourne, who played at the Games’ closing ceremony. He told the BBC: “Thank you for all your votes. And Birmingham for ever.”
Network Rail agreed to salvage the beast – informally named Raging Bull until the poll – and find it a home at the station after a petition to save it attracted more than 15,000 signatures. It will be housed under the station’s atrium.
In the first round of voting, members of the public were asked to suggest their own names. Network Rail said some of the more memorable included: Optimus Moo, Thumbullina and Cadbully, as well as Bully McBullface.
The latter was a play on Boaty McBoatface, which emerged as the winner of a similar competition to name a Natural Environment Research Council polar research vessel. That vote caused a dilemma for the council over whether to accede to the public’s stated wish, or name its new, state-of-the-art, £200m asset something more conventionally dignified. The RRS Sir David Attenborough was eventually launched two years later, though it did carry a submarine called Boaty McBoatface.
Network Rail and the local council did not allow Bully McBullface into the final round of voting. Instead, Osbourne faced competition from Bostin, a local slang term meaning brilliant, the 18th-century industrialist Matthew Boulton, and Brummie – the common name for someone from Birmingham.
The Network Rail chair, Peter Hendy, said: “Firstly, I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to at first send in their name suggestions and then vote for their favourite in final four – it truly shows how much affection people have for this star of the Commonwealth Games.
“It also proves to us how much of an honour it is for Network Rail to be the custodian of Ozzy the bull, and for New Street station to be its home. I can’t wait for it to be unveiled on the station concourse in time for the first anniversary of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.”
Network Rail said the bull would be unveiled before the Games’ first anniversary at the end of next month.
