I'm beginning the second year of a PhD, lucky enough to be funded by an external body. I am very disillusioned by my supervisor's lack of involvement or interest and my department's ineptitude. I'm feeling very isolated and despondent, and I am considering trying to arrange taking my research to another university. Can anyone comment on whether this is feasible, if maybe anyone has done this?

Here we go again. I do not know what is wrong with advisors these days. They seem to lack interest and motivation. Do not worry my friend you not alone. I think you should act quickly no matter what you decide. It depends on the UNIV. you going to and who is going to supervise you. you do not want to repeate same circumstances you're trying to get out of.

I was in a similar situation to you, i was completing a PhD at an awful dept (good uni though) with external funding. I should have moved elsewhere, but as I was the only student with external funding they made it very difficult. I would definitely try to move -you will miss out on a lot by completing at a substandard dept. As for the supervisor that's more tricky you will need to find someone who is willing to take on someone half way through their research.

its your phD not theirs
if you are not motivated why should them??!! a phD is the first step into academic research where you'll have to be the one that motivates others. you have to learnt to walk by yourself
your supervisor has to give you advice but it is not his phD it is yours

the only problem you can face during a phD is to start with a bad project based on crap if any previous data that doesnt offer you any reasonable alternative and of course you could suffer the lack of important reagent (like working on enzyme without having substrates and product).
most important phD is a training into techniques the only problem is when you are not learning them.

pippo, I'm sure you may have a good point, but probably best not to use enzymes as an example on a social science thread. There's a reason a lot of us quit 'proper' science after GCSE.