Outgoing Douglas Mayor Ritchie McNicholl went ‘down under’ on Sunday May 6th to conduct a subterranean civic duty in the Great Laxey Mine, his last before his term of office ended on Wednesday May 9th.

Together with his wife Julie, the outgoing Mayoress, he joined the mines group volunteers to officially open an 18-feet long bridge over a 180 feet deep shaft leading to lower levels of the mine believed to be the old engine shaft.

Team leader Peter Geddes MBE explained: ‘During the summer of 2011 the mines research group was engaged in clearing an area of collapse approximately one quarter of a mile into the main adit* of the Great Laxey Mine. A part of this collapse resulted in the floor of the adit level giving way to reveal a 180-feet deep shaft down to the lower levels, believed to be the old engine shaft. The main part of the blockage in the adit was stabilised and shuttering put in place to retain the back-fill material. In addition to regaining the access along the adit it was necessary to bridge the open water-filled shaft. This we accomplished by constructing an 18-feet long bridge over the shaft which now leads to a ladder to gain access over the shuttering.’

Mr Geddes explained that the group extended an invitation to the then Mayor after he mentioned during a Mayor’s parlour reception that he had ‘never opened anything before’.

A subsequent conversation revealed Councillor McNicholl’s interest in viewing the Laxey mines when the group were next on an inspection trip, prompting Mr Geddes to extend an invitation to him to open the bridge.

Mr Geddes explained: ‘The detail and planning had to be meticulous with full risk assessment and method statements put in place. After a short brief and a talk on the mine’s history and description of its workings the party descended and a short ceremony took place with His Worship the cutting of the ribbon and unveiling the plaque that bore the legend: “because he’s never been asked to open anything before.’

After the ceremony the party moved further into the mine to view the Welsh shaft made safe during a three year operation between 1989 and 1991.

The underground inspection lasted around one and a half hours after which the outgoing Mayor praised the mines group for the amount of work carried out over the last 20 years to the main adit of the Great Laxey Mine.

*an almost horizontal shaft into a mine

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