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) by the steam tug "Sampson". Once aboard the party witnessed the launch of the steamer "Ethiope", the "Ellan Vannin" then steamed up the river as far as the Ince Lighthouse to meet the "Countess of Ellesmere". The "Countess" operating under the command of Captain Street, was brought up alongside the "Ellan Vannin", at that point full steam was given and both vessels raced away towards Garston. For a short time the "Countess" gained on the "Ellan Vannin" but soon both vessels came exactly abreast of each other. The race took twelve minutes to cover the 5 nautical miles to Garston,