Whangārei's Rolling Ball Clock timepiece to be craned into place

Fabricators Lloyd Bushby and Adam Gillespie, from Absolute Stainless, with their passion project the Rolling Ball Clock to be installed at Whangārei Town Basin on Tuseday morning. Photo / Tania Whyte

It's been rolling on for almost 14 years, but on Tuesday the plan will finally become a reality.

The Whangārei Rolling Ball Clock will finally be lifted into place at the Town Basin in the morning, next to the Clapham Clock Museum.

It will be the latest addition to the sculptures around the Town Basin, but this is no static display - it's a fully-functioning timepiece, a clock that displays time by means of balls and rails.

The ball clock has been taking shape at Whangārei's Absolute Stainless in Lower Port Rd where stainless steel fabricators Lloyd Bushby and Adam Gillespie have taken particular pride in getting the structure just right.

The Pedal Man, one of the features of the new Whangārei Rolling Ball Clock

The pair were recently presented with certificates from the ball clock backers - About Time Project Team - for their outstanding enthusiasm and dedication to the project.

They regularly worked outside normal hours, with Bushby on the Pedal Man, his personal project and Gillespie continually checking and modifying the clock's workings, with cameras in the clock feeding into his cell phone day and night.

"We are pleased to announce that the Rolling Ball Clock is now mechanically complete. It has passed its tests on completion by running flawlessly for several weeks and has kept accurate time.

"Its testing was delayed by Covid interruptions to materials supply and getting some balls from America plus the need for some mechanical modifications," Warren Thomas, the About Time Project Manager said.

''We're excited to bring this project that first started in 2008 to a final conclusion. It's been a long 14 years only possible due to funding from the Provincial Growth Fund, the WDC Partnership fund and active support from the Northland Community Foundation and many other generous donors."

The clock will be gifted to the Whangārei District Council after a short maintenance period to confirm its satisfactory operation.

The Rolling Ball Clock will be craned into its spot around 5.30am on Tuesday, March 29.