Laxey Wheel

Hi all,

I've been out and about round my adopted island today and thought you might like this.

'Lady Isabella' (The Laxey Wheel) was named after former Lieutenant Governor Hopes wife. It was built in 1854 by Robert Casement, a Laxey native and talented engineer. The Laxey Wheel remains the largest working waterwheel in the world. The wheel has a diameter of 72ft and a circumference of 227ft. It was used to pump 250 gallons of water a minute from the Laxey mines some 200yds away and 1500ft below ground. The mines employed over 600 miners at it's peak, producing lead,copper,silver and zinc until the mines closed in 1929. In 1965 the Manx Government bought the wheel and site and restoration occured. In 1989 it was put under the control of Manx National Heritage.

 

Thats great Sheal, thanx for sharing

Lead, Copper, Silver & Zinc?

That can only mean one thing, a Hydrothermal Vein coming off a Batholith.

You must be living on the upthrust eroded roots of a huge mountain chain.

Whats the background radiation like there ?

 

:DOH:Eh, what!

Now you're blinding me with science Ziggy! There is a range that passes down pretty much the centre of the island, the only genuine mountain being Snaefell at 2034ft. Sorry haven't got any pics.

Now, will you please explain in idiots terms what you are trying to say to me.

 

Doh, its quite simple Sheal, to get those metals the crust must have sagged by the weight of a huge amount of sedimentary rocks piled up by two continental plates coming together. This would have caused the sedimentary "Roots" of the mountain chain to melt under the huge heat and pressure forming a huge ball of magma, the metal minerals would have combined with superheated water and forced their way thru cracks in the rocks, like a pressure cooker going supernova. These "veins" would have solidified in the cooler rocks and preciptated out metal minerals, starting with Gold at the top, then Silver, Copper, Zinc,etc. down to Tin & lead at the bottom.

Then, as the mountains were eroded by ice and water, its like taking the top off an an iceberg, the now solidified magma chamber rises up from the crust to become the new land surface of Granite, which is what you are living on. The hydrothermal veins will have been eroded first, but the metals may still be in your rivers, worth doing a bit of panning

 

I used to get driven past that thing as a kid, my nan and grandad lived in Crosby, and a few other places on the island.

 

Thanks Ziggy, I've had to read and re-read what you have written so that it sinks in! I think I'm with you.

Don't know about the panning though, I've never actually seen or heard of anyone doing it here.

 

Found a pic for you Sheal,

Redirect Notice

I'd give panning a go, even lead is worth a fair bit now.

 

Thanks for the picture Ziggy, it makes sense now.

 

I was worrying today that I hadn't explained Isostatic adjustment to you properly.:DOH:

Picture it like putting a bowling ball on a foam matress. Take the ball off & the matress rises, just like weathering a mountain chain away, the roots will rise up as the weight is taken off.

Unlike a matress however, the granite Batholith will contain naturally decaying radioactive isotopes, which is why I asked in the first place.

 

Hi Sheal
I was holidaying on the IOM in 1970 . We went to Laxey to see some ceremony there, everyone was walking around in Victorian dress . But as it was built in 1854 , it was the 116th anniversary So not sure what the actual event was they were commemorating Anyway its a wonderful structure and the pics are great.

Just re-read your post - renovation started in 1965 . So possibly 1970 was when the wheel was recommisioned.

 

Thanks Harry,

I've only been on the island nineteen years, so 1970 is way before my time. There are various ceremonies that go on around the island every year, but I can't think what the Victorian one would have been for, unless it was something to do with the Queen.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are commemorated (is that spelt right) here after a visit many moons ago. Particularly in Ramsey, Victoria and Albert pier, presently undergoing renovation. Also the Albert tower which stands high above Ramsey on the TT mountain course. I visited this for the first time about six weeks ago!

 

Shiney, I hadn't even heard of this until Ziggy started getting scientific! So it's a bit late for me to be worrying about being becquerelled. :D

I think we're more in danger here of eating dodgy sheep. The sheep on high ground are still being monitored for radiation levels from the Chernobyl fall-out. That was a long time ago now!