Ozzy Osbourne will be in Birmingham this week to unveil a Midland Metro tram named after him (Photograph: Adam Yosef)
Ozzy Osbourne will be in Birmingham this week to unveil a Midland Metro tram named after him (Photograph: Adam Yosef)

Rock icon Ozzy Osborne is to get star billing in his native Birmingham by having a Midland Metro tram named after him.

The city’s own Prince of Darkness will be in town to meet the tram bearing his name this Thursday 26th May.

The Aston-born frontman of legendary Birmingham band Black Sabbath will be at the new Corporation Street stop at 11am.

Ozzy said: “It’s a great honour to have a new tram named after me, I’m proud to be a Brummie and this means so much.”

The tram-naming ceremony has been organised by Centro, the delivery arm of the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority (ITA).

Ozzy Osbourne will be in Birmingham this week to unveil a Midland Metro tram named after him (Photograph: Jaspreet Matharu / Ikonz)
Ozzy Osbourne will be in Birmingham this week to unveil a Midland Metro tram named after him (Photograph: Jaspreet Matharu / Ikonz)

On-street driver training between Bull Street and the Stephenson Street stop outside New Street station began on Monday 23rd May following successful work over the weekend to correct minor alignment problems on some sections of the track.

Training is scheduled to take seven days and passenger services will begin once this is successfully completed.

Responding to having a Birmingham tram names after him, Ozzy Osbourne said: "It's a great honour to have a new tram named after me, I'm proud to be a Brummie and this means so much." (Photograph: Adam Yosef)
Responding to having a Birmingham tram named after him, Ozzy Osbourne said: “It’s a great honour to have a new tram named after me, I’m proud to be a Brummie and this means so much.” (Photograph: Adam Yosef)
Ozzy Osbourne was in Birmingham to receive a tribute on the city's Walk of Stars back in 2007 (Photograph: Jaspreet Matharu / Ikonz)
Ozzy Osbourne was in Birmingham to receive a tribute on the city’s Walk of Stars back in 2007, seen here with BRMB radio presenter Elliot Webb (Photograph: Jaspreet Matharu / Ikonz)

The extension to New Street is part of a £128 million project that has also seen the purchase of a brand new 21-strong fleet of Urbos 3 trams, a refurbished depot at Wednesbury and a new stop at Snow Hill station.

Trams returned to the streets of Birmingham city centre for the first time in more than 60 years last December when the Metro started running to the new stop in Bull Street.

Ozzy Osbourne chatting to Adam Yosef in Birmingham in 2007 (Photograph: Jaspreet Matharu / Ikonz)
Ozzy Osbourne chatting to Adam Yosef in Birmingham in 2007 (Photograph: Jaspreet Matharu / Ikonz)

The previous month saw Her Majesty the Queen visit the stop and name one of the new trams after former Centro chairman Councillor Angus Adams, who died in 2012 and was a key figure in driving through the extension plans.

In November, Her Majesty The Queen visited the new Midland Metro route and launched the Angus Adams tram (Photograph: Davina James)
In November, Her Majesty The Queen visited the new Midland Metro route and launched the Angus Adams tram (Photograph: Davina James)
Her Majesty The Queen viewing the new Midland Metro tram line through Birmingham city centre (Photograph: Davina James)
Her Majesty The Queen viewing the new Midland Metro tram line through Birmingham city centre (Photograph: Davina James)

In April this year test runs began to New Street from Bull Street. Now testing is complete, Midland Metro drivers have begun on-street training having first used the computerised route simulator at the Wednesbury depot. The extension is expected to boost the West Midlands economy by more than £50 million a year and create 1,300 new jobs.

In 2007, Brummie legend Ozzy Osbourne was awarded a special star on the city's Walk of Fame route in Broad Street (Photograph: Jaspreet Matharu / Ikonz magazine)
In 2007, Brummie legend Ozzy Osbourne was awarded a special star on the city’s Walk of Stars route in Broad Street (Photograph: Jaspreet Matharu / Ikonz)

This won’t be the first time Ozzy Osbourne has literally left his mark on the city. In 2007, he became the first local personality to be honoured with a special star on the city’s Walk of Stars route in Broad Street.

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