Electric Railways (and very big water wheels) - Monday part 1

Today we’re off to try out the Electric Railways – the Manx Electric Railway (MER) to Laxey, then changing to the Snaefell Mountain Railway to see the view from Man’s highest mountain.

But first we have to get to the MER terminus, at the far end of Douglas’ very long promenade – there’s a variety of transport systems, conventional bus, taxi, plain walking or horse tram

You can’t miss the terminus though, with ELECTRIC RAILWAY picked out Hollywood style above the train sheds. The railway, or perhaps more correctly, tramway, now runs from Douglas to Ramsey, but was once a bit more extensive. It first opened in September 1893, with extensions later, competing with a now defunct steam railway running to Ramsey on another route. It has had mixed fortunes, nationalised (by the IoM Government) and then half-closed, and then re-opened again.

It's an odd ride, on a two-car tram, with the rear carraige open and the front enclosed. Very reminiscent of Blackpool (obviously). The numerous level-crossing seem a bit worrying - local traffic is obviously used to them (several are unguarded) but visiting traffic must get taken by surprise.

It's all change at Laxey, as the Mountain Railway is on a 3'6" gauge, but the mainline is only 3'. This is a single car - up the mountain and past the remains of several mines - theoretically to get a good view of the whole island - but it does look a bit misty up there. The Mountain Railway was opened in 1895 and takes travellers to within 30ft of the 2,036ft summit



And there are great views en route of several mines, including the Great Laxey Mine (of which more later) and the Snaefell Mine, scene of a local mining disaster many years ago.


This is Sulby Reservoir, part of the Manx water supply system.







But, as we expected, the top of Snaefell is shrouded in mist, so there's not a lot to see.

Even after climbing the last 30 feet.


So we go back down again, to Laxey...




There’s a lot to see at Laxey – too much (as usual) and we only have a limited time as we have to see the Flour Mill too (see next blog entry). So a quick trip to the Great Laxey Mine washing floors, now a rather twee public garden but beginning to regain some hints of their former use through two restoration projects.

The first one we see is the latest, a newly restored water wheel, only opened last month. This is the ‘Lady Evelyn Wheel’ once part of Snaefell mines up the valley, but recently reclaimed from a Welsh hillside where it had been taken for another, failed project many years ago. The full story is available here.

The second restoration project here is the Great Laxey Mine Railway, a 1/4 mile 19-inch gauge line that ran from the lead mine entrance down to the washing floors, via a short tunnel. Closed in 1929 with the mine, this tiny railway re-opened in September 2004. Now the ANT and BEE, replicas of the miniature steam locomotives of those names originally built in 1877 run along the route. More on this here.

The Great Laxey Wheel is just up the road, and should need no introduction – a famous emblem of the island for many years. Remote from the mine itself this giant waterwheel powered rods that ran up a viaduct to the mine itself, for pumping. The wheel was preserved by a private owner before being given to Manx National Heritage.

In case you’re wondering, the water supply is siphon fed, rising by gravity through the round tower to power the wheel in a high breast-shot position. More on this wheel here and more on the mine itself here.










When we visit the wheel isn't turning, despite the local folksong about it never stopping turning. This is because a linkage on the driving rods has been removed for replacement = this pic shows the missing link, and the other rods running off towards the mine on their viaduct.