You are here:

News

Children explore engineering challenges

5th Oct 2005

To celebrate National Construction Week, British Waterways London, Hochtief (UK) Construction Ltd, Bovis Lend Lease and Paddington Waterside Partnership have joined forces to offer schools in the ‘Westminster Excellence in Cities Action Zone’ a series of activities to explore the engineering challenges of 18th century canal engineers and those facing engineers today.

Over the course of two weeks around 300 pupils from seven Westminster primary schools and 80 students from North Westminster Community School will enjoy a day out of the classroom learning about construction techniques both old and new.

Today, 5 October, children climed aboard Beauchamp for an hour-long trip along the Regent's Canal, through the Maida Hill tunnel and back. Along the way, British Waterways’ learning services officer Elaine Stanley taught the pupils how the tunnel was built by engineers 200 years ago.

Elaine explains: “Canals and rivers are both fun and educational. Throughout the two weeks, we’ll be taking groups of local school children out on the canal where they can see at first hand the historic structures built by the canal engineers and then they’ll be using the same construction techniques to build their own miniature tunnels with bricks and mortar.”

Once they were back in Paddington, pupils visited the Paddington Bridge Project, where a section of the Bishops’ Bridge Road is being replaced, and meet engineers from Hochtief (UK) Construction Ltd to learn about modern bridge building techniques.

Bev Clarke-Brown, Curriculum Innovation Development Manager from Westminster City Council, says: “Working with the large companies regenerating Paddington Basin has provided a unique opportunity for both students and teachers for work-related learning. These workshops widen the knowledge of future careers for students, bringing construction work to life. Moreover, they provide students with the opportunity to meet engineers who act as role models for them and help the industry attract young people to a career in the construction industry.”

Last updated: 22/10/2008