Poppy Bench and the Napier Engine

"The engine is a side lever marine engine built for the P. S. LEVEN in 1821. It has a single cylinder and produced 33 horsepower. This was the first marine engine built by Robert Napier after he started his own engineering business in 1821. He and his cousin David Napier were to dominate the marine engineering industry in the West of Scotland during the nineteenth century. P. S. LEVEN was a wooden paddle-boat built by James Lang at Dumbarton. She was owned by the Dumbarton Steamship Co. for most of her working life. The engine remained in P. S. LEVEN until 1845 when it was transferred to a new vessel, QUEEN OF BEAUTY, that Robert Napier was building. In 1877 the engine was presented to the town of Dumbarton by Robert Napier's sons. It was mounted on a stone plinth at the base of Dumbarton Rock as a monument to the 'Father of Modern Shipbuilding'. In 1984 it was moved to its present position." (From the information board at the Napier Engine)