Simulator Rides, customised lorries and buses in Rotunda Square at the Bullring

It's not just the Bullring Bull that you can see in Rotunda Square. Sometimes I see these lorries with Simulator rides, such as F1 or Top Gear, more recently Star Trek: Picard. Other times old buses that have custom liveries are parked up in the square. Mostly recently saw Sonic the Hedgehog on a Game / Sega related one. Other times there maybe cars on show in the square.

Rotunda Square is located at the Bullring between New Street and High Street. With the 24 Hour Route ramps linking Birmingham Moor Street Station to Birmingham New Street Station (if you want to avoid walking under the Bullring along St Martin's Queensway). There are entrances from the West Mall and East Mall leading out onto Rotunda Square.

See also my similar post on this topic from St Martin's Square.

Starting off with Heart FM. OK this first photo isn't in Rotunda Square, but on St Martin's Walk between the West and East Mall's. "Sign it to Win with Arnold Clark". Heart 100.7. This car had signatures all over it. Seen during August 2014. Possibly a Fiat 500.

dndimg alt="Heart FM" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Heart FM (August 2014).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

I can confirm that this photo was taken in Rotunda Square. Heart Radio again. Seen during May 2015 with this red car. Heart 96-107. More Music Variety. The view towards Nationwide.

dndimg alt="Heart FM" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Heart FM (May 2015).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Probably the first time I saw one of these Formula 1 simulator rides in Rotunda Square during May 2015.

dndimg alt="McLaren F1" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square McLaren Honda F1 simulator (May 2015) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

It was the McLaren Honda F1 simulator.

dndimg alt="McLaren F1" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square McLaren Honda F1 simulator (May 2015) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

It had an image on the side of Jenson Button. Who was with McLaren at the time. He left F1 around 2016 or 2017.

dndimg alt="McLaren F1" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square McLaren Honda F1 simulator (May 2015) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The lorry filled up most of the space between Nationwide and Next. Just about space to either walk down St Martin's Walk, or head down the 24 Hour Route towards Moor Street Queensway and Birmingham Moor Street Station.

dndimg alt="McLaren F1" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square McLaren Honda F1 simulator (May 2015) (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The Transformers were in Rotunda Square during August 2015 to promote the Transformers animated series: Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Although the lorry used resembled the one used in the Michael Bay Transformers movies (2007 - 2017).

dndimg alt="Optimus Prime" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Optimus Prime Rotunda Square (August 2015) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The first movie Transformers came out in 2007, followed by Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen in 2009, Transformers: Dark of the Moon in 2011, Transformers: Age of Extinction in 2014 and Transformers: The Last Knight in 2017. There was also a Bumblebee prequel released in 2018.

dndimg alt="Optimus Prime" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bullring characters Optimus Prime.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The back of Optimus Prime.

dndimg alt="Optimus Prime" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Optimus Prime Rotunda Square (August 2015) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

A lot of people took notice of Optimus Prime as they passed by.

dndimg alt="Optimus Prime" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Optimus Prime Rotunda Square (August 2015) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Was also this trailer for Transformers: Robots in Disguise. I have not seen this series.

dndimg alt="Optimus Prime" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Optimus Prime Rotunda Square (August 2015) (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

One more side view of Optimus Prime. In 2015, I did not know at the time that the 5th movie would come out in 2017.

dndimg alt="Optimus Prime" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Optimus Prime Rotunda Square (August 2015) (5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

One year on and Optimus Prime and Transformers: Robots in Disguise was back in Rotunda Square during August 2016. This view was seen from Costa Coffee at Next. By then I knew that Transformers: The Last Knight was in production for release in the summer of 2017. Which I didn't know the year before.

dndimg alt="Optimus Prime" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Optimus Prime Rotunda Squaree (August 2016).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I saw this old van or pick up truck during September 2015. "Celebrating 400 Years of Originality". It had old cameras to the back. In the direction of Zara Man.

dndimg alt="Celebrating 400 Years of Originality" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Celebrating 400 Years of Originality (Sept 2015) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

From the other side towards Zara. Was obviously something camera related. But more likely to be related to the drink Grolsch. 1615-2015. It was a Chevrolet.

dndimg alt="Celebrating 400 Years of Originality" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Celebrating 400 Years of Originality (Sept 2015) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Saw these taxis in Rotunda square near Next during October 2015. They were there for Charlotte Tilbury - Join the Make-Up Revolution.

dndimg alt="Taxis" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square taxis (Oct 2015).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Later in October 2015, the BBC Top Gear Experience was in Rotunda Square.

dndimg alt="Top Gear" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Top Gear (Oct 2015) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

It was a bit similar to that McLaren F1 ride that was here earlier in 2015.

dndimg alt="Top Gear" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Top Gear (Oct 2015) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

It had an image of The Stig on the side of the lorry.

dndimg alt="Top Gear" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Top Gear (Oct 2015) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

In November 2016, I saw this vintage London Routemaster bus on tour for Logic Pro. An Electronic Cigarette company.

dndimg alt="Logic Pro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Logic Pro (Nov 2016) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

This was during the Logic Tour stopping in Birmingham.  The buses licence plate no was VVS 373. I had previously seen this bus used for Virgin Holidays in St Martin's Square (see link at the top of the post to see the photos).

dndimg alt="Logic Pro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Logic Pro (Nov 2016) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The backside of the bus for Logic Pro. As I tried to get all the sides that I could.

dndimg alt="Logic Pro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Logic Pro (Nov 2016) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

This view down St Martin's Walk, busy during the Christmas shopping season. Christmas lights were up.

dndimg alt="Logic Pro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Logic Pro (Nov 2016) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Another old London Routemaster bus in Rotunda Square. This one seen during March 2017. Was for the Spring Blooms Tour. Boden Bloom & Wild. The sunshine was a bit bright on this side of the bus.

dndimg alt="Spring Blooms Tour" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Spring Blooms Tour (March 2017) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Hello Birmingham. The sunlight wasn't as bad from this side.

dndimg alt="Spring Blooms Tour" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Spring Blooms Tour (March 2017) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The back view as the bus looked very green in the direction of the Rotunda.

dndimg alt="Spring Blooms Tour" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Spring Blooms Tour (March 2017) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The HSBC Mobile Studio was in this shiny big caravan during July 2017. "Get your free mobile phone case custom designed". Was near Nationwide.

dndimg alt="HSBC Mobile Studio" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square HSBC Mobile Studio (July 2017).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

In August 2017 this Oreo van was in Rotunda Square.

dndimg alt="Oreo" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Oreo (August 2017) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

With the licence plate OR30. They had Choc'o Brownie flavour, Cool Mint flavour, Strawberry Cheesecake flavour and Peanut Butter flavour.

dndimg alt="Oreo" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Oreo (August 2017) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

It was a co-incidence that the Oreo van was here, as around the same time (5 days earlier), Google had announced their (then) new operating system on Android. Android 8 also known as Android Oreo. Google used to name their OS's after sweets. Android is now on version 10 (no sweet related name this time). Android 9 was called Pie.

dndimg alt="Oreo" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Oreo (August 2017) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Another Formula 1 simulator ride was in Rotunda Square during October 2017. This time it was the Petronas Mercedes-Benz F1 simulator.

dndimg alt="Petronas Mercedes-Benz F1 simulator " dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Petronas Mercedes-Benz F1 simulator (Oct 2017) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

People who went on it could see what it was like for Lewis Hamilton to win the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship. He is a 6 times World Champion, having won F1 during 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

dndimg alt="Petronas Mercedes-Benz F1 simulator " dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Petronas Mercedes-Benz F1 simulator (Oct 2017) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I saw the Petronas simulator ride / lorry in Rotunda Square, once again during February 2020. Tool this on my smartphone camera. This time it was AMG Petronas Motorsport. Probably the same vehicle as years before. An early morning view before work.

dndimg alt="Petronas" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Petronas (Feb 2020).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Game had a bus out in Rotunda Square during December 2017 for Super Mario Odyssey on the Nintendo Switch.

dndimg alt="Super Mario" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Super Mario Odyssey (Dec 2017) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

It looked like a modern red London bus with a pair of double doors, which buses here in the West Midlands don't have. Several giant images of Super Mario on the side of the bus.

dndimg alt="Super Mario" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Super Mario Odyssey (Dec 2017) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

OK this one isn't in Rotunda Square, but I don't think I saw any vehicles like this in the square during 2018. During August 2018 saw this pink Land Rover on St Martin's Walk between the entrances to the East and West Mall's. Benefit BrowMobile. We Wax Brows. 

dndimg alt="Benefit BrowMobile" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Benefit BrowMobile St Martins Walk (August 2018).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

This vehicle was seen in Rotunda Square during February 2019 promoting the (then) new Starbucks Blonde Roast. Saw it on the walk from Birmingham Moor Street Station to the Odeon Cinema on New Street. But I later took this photo on the way back.

dndimg alt="Starbucks Blonde Roast" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Starbucks Blonde Roast (Feb 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I also got this view of the Starbucks Blonde Roast. But it came out blurry, and even after attempting to fix it, it still looks a bit over processed. But then was heading back to the station and took this too quickly to realise it came out blurry.

dndimg alt="Starbucks Blonde Roast" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Starbucks (Feb 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

In March 2019, I saw this lorry promoting the movie Bohemian Rhapsody, which by then was on Blu-Ray and DVD. A Biopic based on the rock band Queen (not seen it yet). I unexpectedly saw it with the Amazon Treasure Truck

dndimg alt="Bohemian Rhapsody" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Bohemian Rhapsody (March 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

An early morning walk up the Bullring during May 2019. And I saw this Republic of Gamers bus in Rotunda Square from St Martin's Walk.

dndimg alt="Republic of Gamers" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Republic of Gamers bus (May 2019) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Much easier to get photos of these buses sometime after 9am than at midday when it is crowded. Also many of the shops hadn't yet opened.

dndimg alt="Republic of Gamers" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Republic of Gamers bus (May 2019) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

This bus had the licence plate no YN54 AJY and had the abbreviation Rogbus.

dndimg alt="Republic of Gamers" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Republic of Gamers bus (May 2019) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

So much easier to get early in the morning. As I prefer it. Also said ASUS on it.

dndimg alt="Republic of Gamers" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Republic of Gamers bus (May 2019) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Getting close to the end now. Seen during July 2019 was this pink van. Refresh with Blossom Hill. Metro Bank behind was almost finished at the time. Also caught this couple in matching green t-shirts.

dndimg alt="Refresh with Blossom Hill" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Refresh with Blossom Hill (July 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Also during July 2019, Summer in Southside had some caravans at the Bullring. This one saying Cloud with people in sleeping bags with pillows.

dndimg alt="Summer in Southside" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Summer in Southside (July 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

And down on St Martin's Walk, was this caravan for Summer in Southside saying Newbie. EE was advertising having 5G.

dndimg alt="Summer in Southside" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/St Martins Walk Summer in Southside (July 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Another early morning at the Bullring in Rotunda Square, during October 2019. As I saw this bus that game had transformed into the Sega Mega Drive with Sonic the Hedgehog. Advertising the Sega Mega Drive Mini (the original Sega Mega Drive came out in the UK in the 1990s).

dndimg alt="Sega Mega Drive bus" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Sega Mega Drive bus (Oct 2019) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The licence plate on the bus was LF52  ZMU and it was a Volvo. Early mornings before work are the best time to get these buses (if I have my main camera on me).

dndimg alt="Sega Mega Drive bus" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Sega Mega Drive bus (Oct 2019) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

From the other side before walking up New Street. I used to have a 2nd hand Mega Drive from 1995 (when I turned 13). And I loved the Sonic the Hedgehog games. The movie version came out in February 2020. Sonic 3D was the last new Sonic game on the Mega Drive I was able to get in 1996. By 1997 I was unable to get any more, but switched to PC gaming by then. I later put my Mega Drive on eBay in 2005 (after having it stored away for 10 years). But at one point I got the Sonic Mega Collection on the PC (so got to play the Sonic games again one last time around 2007 I think).

dndimg alt="Sega Mega Drive bus" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Sega Mega Drive bus (Oct 2019) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

In December 2019 there was another simulator ride. This time promoting Star Trek: Picard which is being shown in the UK on Amazon Prime Video.

dndimg alt="Star Trek Picard" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Star Trek Picard (Dec 2019) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

This was also another early morning before work when I saw this Star Trek Picard display. It started on Amazon Prime in January 2020.

dndimg alt="Star Trek Picard" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Star Trek Picard (Dec 2019) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Was positioned in front of the Nationwide Building Society. I thought it was strange that Picard was on Prime, when Star Trek: Discovery was on Netflix (although E4 has started showing that despite being a Netflix Original programme). Although both are on CBS All Access in the USA.

dndimg alt="Star Trek Picard" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Star Trek Picard (Dec 2019) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I've only started to watch Star Trek Picard on Amazon Prime Video, with 7 episodes released to date (as of March 2020). There is 3 more new episodes yet to be released. I am a (or was) a big Star Trek fan, having grown up on the Star Trek shows during the 1990s with The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Enterprise was released in the early 2000s. Then there was a big gap until Discovery came out on Netflix in 2017. There had been the Viacom / CBS split. Paramount kept the movies, CBS kept the TV shows. But it sounds like that they have re-merged into Viacom CBS.

dndimg alt="Star Trek Picard" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rotunda Square Star Trek Picard (Dec 2019) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown. Now at 1,100 followers. Thank you.

Birmingham We Are People with Passion award winner 2020