Laxey & East Accommodation

Lady Isabella: The Great Laxey Wheel designed by Robert Casemont in 1854

The 600ft viaduct built in 1854 with the wheel

Laxey Village Commissioner warning notice. Dog owners best bring those plastic bags with you!!!

Laxey Wheel East Isle of Man Mining Mines History Tourist Information Snaefell Railway UK

Ever wondered what it might be like mining lead, copper or zinc at depths of 220 fathoms, which equates to over 1200 feet below ground. Miners at the Great Laxey mine spent 10 hours a day down there, and before they started their working day they had to get down there on ladders - in itself exhausting. Conditions were rough, and it was difficult to breath with the dust.

Thanks to restoration work on the Great Laxey mine complex, including restoration of Lady Isabella - the Great Laxey wheel, you can now experience the history and dramatic engineering behind this mine among many in the Isle of Man. Many of the buildings on the Laxey Mining complex have also been preserved, including engine rooms and cisterns. Restoration work and clearing has also been extensively undertaken in the shafts, particularly the Welsh shaft. This attraction is a must for exploring the somewhat hidden history of mining in the Isle of Man, which at one time provided a large part of the British Isles' Zinc supply!!

Snaefell Mountain Railway & Snaefell

The Snaefell Mountain Railway, part of the only electric rail line in the British Isles, is over 100 years old. It's 4 miles long, and the line ascends from Laxey up to Snaefell Mountain Summit, the highest point on the island at 2036ft. It's a breathtaking climb through a gauge and up gradients as steep as 1 in 12 - fantastic. Original trams take you on the trip so you're guaranteed a replica experience of similar journeys 100 years ago!

Laxey Station has also been lovingly preserved, and once aboard you'll pass the great Laxey Wheel. The line is only open from Easter to October.

Lady Isabella - The Laxey Wheel

This particular kind of mammoth wheel is the largest in the world, and dates from 1854. It's original purpose was to pump water from the Glen Mooar area of the 'Great Laxey Mines'. The wheel sits on what was a massive mining complex.

This great wheel has been recently refurbished to it's former glory, and is set a spinning in the summer, although the pumps are out of action.

This great wheel really is the iconic symbol of a huge part of Manx history, the history of mining and the families that came here mostly from Cornwall to work the mines.

Exploring the Laxey Mines & other mines in the Isle of Man

The Laxey mines were just one complex of mines around the Isle of Man, but one of the most successful mines for lead, copper, silver, and zinc. In the 1850s this mine was employing at least 500 men, many who had come up and across from Cornwall. Indeed the pumps bear the mark of Cornish design, with their pole plunger and clack valve design.

Did you know that in the 1870s the Great Laxey Mine produced one fifth of the total output of the British Isles' Zinc. It has a long and interesting history, including the deaths of miners (five died in 1836 when the river broke into an engine shaft). There have been problems with mining here so close to the River Mooar. The mine flooded again in 1901.

Indeed, by 1929 the water in the mine had reached the 140 fathom level and it was decided to abandon the pumps. Still, loose ore in the upper levels continued to be collected until 1934 when it was finally closed. Thankfully, over the last 20 years or so the whole area has been worked on, and you can now tour some of the shafts and other interesting buildings on the site including the old engine house, the River Tunnel and the great cisterns.

http://www2.iomtoday.co.uk/hosted/mines/

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