Laxey agreement that it should be kept in perpetual running order for the people of the Isle of Man. In 1965 the Isle of Man Government bought the wheel and the site. Restoration work began, and in 1989 it was put under the control of Manx National Heritage. Great Laxey Mine Railway re-opened with two small steam engines in September 2004 to carry passengers along the restored route. Laxey is the site of King Orry's Grave. The Laxey Woollen Mills were founded in 1881 by Egbert Rydings, supported by John Ruskin, and were originally water powered. The mills are known for
SS Ellan Vannin (1883) "Fenella" in order to undergo her rebuild, on Friday 19 January 1883. Rebuilt in 1883, her size was increased to 375 gross register tons and her speed to . She was renamed (the Manx translation for "Mona's Isle") on 16 November 1883, following her conversion to a propeller-driven ship. "Ellan Vannin" was a twin-screw vessel driven by a two-cylinder compound steam engine made by Westray, Copeland and Co. at Barrow. Her boiler pressure was raised to . She was capable of carrying 300 passengers and normally had a crew of 14. "Ellan Vannin" primarily operated out of Ramsey to Whitehaven,