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Why take an educational Boat Trip
Below are a few areas where a boat trip can help you cover curriculum topics

Key Stage 1
Knowledge and Understanding of events
Why transport was important, why canals were built, how they were built, how they changed peoples lives and how canal folk, inculding how the children lived.

Historical inquiry.
Books on display show sources or information. We encourage questions to be asked.

Key Stage 2
Chronological understanding. Knowledge and understanding of events

Why this canal was late in being built, why the canal was finally built and what events affected the canals. What modifications were made to the canal, in what order and why.



Historical interpretation
Traces of the past that can be seen today.

Historical inquiry
Books are displayed showing sources of information. We encourage questions to be asked.

Local History
How transport inparticular helped shape how Sheffield developed.

Victorian Britain
The impact of canal transport on various sections of the population. HOw families lived on boats. How living on boats affected the health of canal folk and the education of children. How railways affected the canals and how they co-existed.

Other topics that can be studied.
Bridges, locks, structures, regeneration, wildlife, conservation, canal art.

If you need any futher information please contact us. A very useful web site aimed at schools is www.wow4water.co.uk developed by British Waterways, for the use of both teacher and students.


General Information

About us. A & G Passenger BOats Ltd (formally Aitken Grange Cruising Company) has been established since 1996. A small family run company operating passenger boats in sheffield.

Our Staff. We have knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff available during the cruise. Trained and qualified as appropriate to their employment.

Apollo is a 1926 converted working narrowboat with an observation cabin and gives good viewing facilities for people of all ages. She has a traditional boatmans cabin which can be viewed to help students understand the conditions the boat families lived and worked in.

A39 is a 1933 Leeds Liverpool shortboat used mainly for our leisure business cruises, but because sje is 14ft wide make her an excellent class room facility for schools.

The Canal. We cruise on the Sheffield & Tinsley Canal built in 1819. Our base is in the Victoria Quays canal basin which is close to the city centre. Our cruises go out as far as Tinsley locks (which is behind Meadowhall Retail Park)



Saftey MCA passenger and DSSM certificates for the boats A39 and Apollo. We are registered with the enviromental health. At least one member of crewholds a first aid certificate and all boats have a first aid kit onboard. We are memebers of the British Marine Federation. Yorkshire TOurist Board and an RYA Registered Teaching establishment.

Risk assesment. We as a company have our own risk assesment for education trips. If you would like a copy please contact us. If you wish to visit us and preform your own risk assessments please contact us to arrange a time.

Toilets are available on board both Apollo and A39 as well as the quayside at Victoria Quays and Tinsley Locks.

Smoking. Apollois a non smoking boat. A39 is a non smoking in the cabin, but has a small passenger outside area where smoking is permited.

Educational CD. In development for use in school in conjunction with trips. Includs powerpoint pressentation of bassin area, photographs, useful web addresses, risk assessment.

Inappropriate behaviour. In the event of the behaviour of any passenger putting the safety of the boat, any member of the crew or anyother passenger at risk, A & G Passenger Boats reserve the right, if no other solution can be found, to ultimatley terminate the trip in lines with our conditions of charter at the nearest, safe disembarkation point without recourse.

Booking. Please telephone us on 01142786314. Terms and Conditions apply.