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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- The Great Laxey Wheel in the Isle of Man was designed by local engineer Robert Casement to pump the water out of the mines. In the 1780s zinc and lead ore was discovered in the Laxey valley and attempts to mine these valuable minerals began. For many decades, however, flooding was a significant problem for those working underground.
The Laxey Wheel is arguably the Isle of Man’s most iconic landmark it measures 72ft and 6 inches in diameter with 96 steps to the top! The wheel which was christened the Lady Isabella, is the largest working waterwheel in the world. The grand opening of the Lady Isabella was on 27 September 1854 with thousands flocking to see the wheel turn for the first time.
Did you know that this extraordinary example of Victorian engineering has brought tourists flocking to Laxey for over 150 years?
Why it was needed
The Great Laxey Wheel was designed by local engineer Robert Casement to pump the water out of the mines. In the 1780s zinc and lead ore was discovered in the Laxey valley and attempts to mine these valuable minerals began. For many decades, however, flooding was a significant problem for those working underground. The Great Laxey Wheel was invented and constructed to solve this problem. It was one of a number of water wheels pumping out water from the Great Laxey Mine, but this was the largest and most impressive.
The Great Laxey Wheel was a water powered wheel. The power generated by the wheel turning was used to drive a set of pumps which would bring water that had flooded the lower levels of the mine up to the Main Adit. Once the water had reached the Main Adit it would drain out to the Laxey River and out to sea.
We used to holiday in Laxey every summer when I was child 70 years ago and I have returned there many times over the years. I have many many photo's of the Lady in kodak black and while, kodak colour and latterly digital. I have never seen it working ever. What a marvel !
I was very lucky indeed to see this marvel of engineering working on the day I was there.
I have to say I have seen the wheel turning on many an occasion but being Manx I get an advantage. I always wanted to see the rest of the mechanism restored and working and the last few years it has been good to see the progress made in the restoration and long may it continue it would be wonderful to see the pump house rebuilt and the pumps restored to work, even if the mines were never able to be reopened as a tourist attraction like so many others around the world providing jobs and extra income for the local community the wheel could still pump water from the depths as a fully working attraction.
@@davidprocter3578 it truly is a engineering wonder worth maintaining