Tynwald Approval for Laxey Substation Replacement

One of the Laxey Mercury Arc Rectifiers in operation at Laxey Substation, September 2010 © Alex Fairlie

Approval has been given by Tynwald for the £274,000 second Phase of the M.E.R Laxey Upgrade to start, this being the replacement of the 1934-built Laxey Substation (including the Mercury Arc Rectifiers) with a brand new Substation and modern equipment.

Subject to the money being released, work will commence immediately with the updated equipment to be put in place during May 2012, and the decommissioning of the 1930s and commissioning of the new equipment to take place during Winter 2012/13, when the M.E.R and Snaefell lines are non-operational.

This follows Phase 1, which involved stonework and track renewal on the Glen Roy Viaduct just south of Laxey Station. Assurance has been given that the historical equipment will be mothballed and retained for potential heritage display in the future, and that all work will be undertaken by local contractors.

Old (above) and New (below) equipment in place at Derby Castle Substation, July 2011 © Alex Fairlie

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