The worlds largest water wheel, Laxey

The Laxey Wheel (also known as Lady Isabella) is a large waterwheel built in the village of Laxey in the Isle of Man. Designed by Robert Casement, it has a 72-foot-6-inch (22.1 m) diameter, is 6 feet (1.83 m) wide and revolves at approximately three revolutions per minute. It was built in 1854 to pump water from the mineshafts and named "Lady Isabella" after the wife of Lieutenant Governor Charles Hope who was the island's governor at that time. The Laxey Wheel is the largest working waterwheel in the world. The wheel was used to pump water from the Glen Mooar part of the ‘Great Laxey Mines’ industrial complex.

The 150th anniversary of the Lady Isabella was celebrated by the people of Laxey with a grand Fayre on Saturday 24 September 2004. It is currently maintained by Manx National Heritage as part of the Great Laxey Wheel & Mines Trail. The Wheel features today on the reverse side of the £20 notes issued by the Isle of Man Government.

The wheel is water-powered since the Isle of Man does not have a supply of coal but does have an abundance of water.

Water from the surrounding area, including the local river, is collected in a cistern which is above the level of the top of the wheel. A closed pipe connects the cistern to the top of the wheel; thus the water flows up the tower without problem. The water falls from the pipe into the buckets (formed from wooden slats on the circumference) and makes the wheel rotate in what is described as the 'reverse' direction. The crank has a throw of 4 feet (1.22 m) and connects to a counterweight and to a very long rod. This rod runs along the rod viaduct to the pumping shaft where the 8 feet (2.44 m) stroke is converted by T-rockers into a pumping action.

Most of the wheel and rod is made of wood; however, key mechanical parts are metal to provide tension and bearing surfaces. The rod has attached wheels at intervals to permit the stroke's motion with minimal friction.

Dimensions

•     Diameter, 72 ft 6in.
•     Circumference, 210 ft 6in.
•     Width, 6 ft.
•     Delivery, 250 imperial gallons (1,100 l) of water a minute from the Laxey mines some 200 yards (180 m) away and 1,500 feet (460 m) below ground.

The wheel still operates but does not pump water.

Signatures & Personality

The various types of Signatures you come across & the attitude of a person are listed below:

# SINGLE UNDERLINE BELOW THE SIGN!!
These persons are very confident and are good personalities. They are a little bit selfish but believe in "Happiness of human life"

# TWO DOTS BELOW THE SIGN!!
These persons are considered to be Romantic, can easily change their fiancées as if they change their clothes. They prefer beauty in other persons & they themselves try to look beautiful. They easily attract others.

# SINGLE DOT BELOW THE SIGN!
These persons are more inclined towards classical arts, simple & are very cool. If you loose faith with them, then these persons will never look back at you. Hence its always better to be careful with these people.

# NO UNDERLINES OR DOTS BELOW THE SIGN!!
These persons enjoy their life in their own way, never pay attention to others views. These are considered to be good natured but are selfish too.

# RANDOM SIGN, NO SIMILARITY BETWEEN NAME & SIGN!!
These persons try to be very smart, hide each & every matter, never say anything in straight forward manner, never pay attention to the other person of what he is talking of.

# RANDOM SIGN, SIMILARITY BETWEEN NAME & SIGN!!
These persons are considered to be intelligent but never think. These people change their ideas & views as fast as the wind changes its direction of flow. They never think whether that particular thing is right or wrong.
You can win them just by flattering them.

# SIGN IN PRINTED LETTERS!!
These persons are very kind to us, have a good heart, selfless, are ready to sacrifice their life for the sake of their near & dear. But these seem to think a lot and may get angry very soon.

# WRITING COMPLETE NAME AS THEIR SIGN!!
These persons are very kind hearted, can adjust themselves to any environment & to the person they are talking. These persons are very firm on their views & posses a lot of will power.

Interactive Photo Series Compares NYC's Past and Present

New York City is constantly evolving and growing, making it difficult to document every change that has occurred, but NYC Grid is taking a stab at it. Run by Paul Sahner the ambitious website seeks to map the entire city "street by street and block by block" through photos. In addition to simply capturing present-day neighborhoods, though, the site also gives a peek of what specific areas looked like in the past, comparing the two in its "Before & After" section.

Each location examined in this catalog presents a side-by-side look at one perspective of the designated place, revealing the differences and similarities over decades and even a century. With a moveable, dividing slider going straight down the middle, visitors are given the opportunity to shift between the past and present. This interactive element reveals changes across time with great ease. As one shifts the slider back and forth, streetlights, modern cars, public art installations, and new buildings vanish and reappear. 

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