Auckland's Birdcage pub reaches new perch

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The Birdcage Tavern on the move, around 11am.

Workers shift the Birdcage Tavern.

The Birdcage on the move

Engineers and construction workers begin the slow process of shifting Birdcage Tavern.

Engineers and construction workers begin the slow process of shifting The Birdcage Tavern.

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A day later than expected the historic Birdcage pub has finally reached its new temporary perch in a multimillion dollar engineering move.

The 740 tonne, 124-year-old brick pub has been heaved 40 metres along Franklin Rd at the painstaking rate of 1.8 metres an hour by two hydraulic rams.

It was moved on four specially built concrete "runway beams" each greased with a high tech teflon surface at a cost of $2.5 million – which means it cost around $600 for every centimetre the pub moved.

The entire trip was monitored carefully, with just a 10 millimetre drop said to risk causing cracks in the old building.

The reason for all the effort? To make way for the Victoria Park tunnel project which is aimed to ease the congestion for Auckland motorway commuters.

Once the Victoria tunnel is complete, the entire process will be repeated and the Birdcage -  also known as the Rob Roy - will be shunted back to rest in its old location – which will be on top of the tunnel.

The care has been taken because the Birdcage is designated a heritage building.

Heritage features include an oriel window over the corner entrance, a wooden staircase, double hung windows, plastered brick chimneys, timber skirtings and architraves, and board and batten ceilings.

The Hotel and bar was built in 1885-1886 when Freeman's Bay was the heart of a bustling light industrial area.

It is now owned by the New Zealand Transport Agency.

The NZTA's State Highways Manager for Auckland, Tommy Parker, says the successful move was a significant engineering and logistical achievement. 

"The Victoria Park Tunnel team which took up the challenge has done a great job.  In fact, it has made engineering history."

- © Fairfax NZ News