Laxey of the Isle of Man, was built in 1854 to pump water from the Laxey mine shafts. Now a tourist attraction, it remains the largest working waterwheel in the world. Designed by Robert Casement, it is in diameter and wide. It revolves at about 3 rpm. The mines employed over 600 miners at their peak, producing lead, copper, silver and zinc, until they closed in 1929. The Wheel was owned by Edwin Kneale from 1939 to 1965; he saved it from being dismantled and ran it as a tourist attraction, before passing it on to the Manx nation, with the
SS Ellan Vannin (1854) as agents for the Sardinian Government for £4,070. (equivalent to £ in ) Upon purchase "Ellan Vannin's" name was changed to "Archimedes". The Castletown Steam Navigation Company subsequently went into liquidation. A further call on the shareholders of 10 shillings per share was made in order to finally clear the liabilities incurred by the "Ellan Vannin" for final claims of £600 (equivalent to £ in ). On the night of Tuesday 2 September 1856, whilst under the command of Capt. Skillicorn, the "Ellan Vannin" was involved in an incident in Douglas Bay with a small fishing boat which resulted in