Leven Engine Works

Location type

Works

Name and dates

Leven Engine Works (1851-1963)

Served by the Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway.

Description

This ship engine works was located by the River Leven on either side of the Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway immediately east of Leven Viaduct [Dumbarton] and west of Dumbarton Central. It was the works of Denny & Co, the marine engine builders for William Denny & Bros Ltd's Leven Shipbuilding Yard.

The works had access to water, the River Leven to the west and, before it was reclaimed, the stretch of water which ran from the river eastwards alongside the railway to the east end of the station. The size of engine parts which could be manufactured in the northern part of the works was limited by the clearance of the railway bridge crossing the Leven.

The works was railway served, a line dropped down from the station to street level to serve the southern part of the works, the north part was reached by reversal and passed under the railway to reach the works. From around 1920 an Andrew Barclay, Sons & Co locomotive was used, ex of the Kosmoid Works.

Both works were built on the northern part of the site which had been the Dumbarton Glass Works.

The works closed in September 1963.

The northern works is now the western part of the Broadmeadow Industrial Estate built on the reclaimed land and the southern works site is now a health centre.

Tags

Engine works

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map

Chronology Dates

  /  /1850William Denny & Bros Ltd
The site of the former Dumbarton Glass Works becomes an engine works, the Leven Engine Works owned by Tulloch & Denny (Peter Denny and John Tulloch of Greenock).
  /  /1862Denny & Co
John Tulloch retires and Tulloch & Denny, owners of the Leven Engine Works, is renamed Denny & Co.
  /  /1892Dumbarton and Balloch Joint Railway (Caledonian Railway, Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway and North British Railway Joint) Caledonian Railway North British Railway
Dumbarton and Balloch Joint Railway (Caledonian Railway, Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway and North British Railway Joint) authorised (Caledonian Railway and North British Railway). Siding to Denny's Leven Engine Works at Dumbarton authorised.
  /  /1897Dumbarton and Balloch Joint Railway (Caledonian Railway, Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway and North British Railway Joint)
Siding from Dumbarton Central to the Denny Leven Engine Works opened.
  /  /1918William Denny & Bros Ltd
During a restructuring Denny & Co, the owning company of the Leven Engine Works, is taken into William Denny & Bros Ltd.

Books


The Vanished Railways of Old Western Dunbartonshire (Britains Railways/Old Photos)