A quick review of Hong Kongs transportation

Over the past few weeks Ive been around Asia and got to spend a bit of time on the Hong Kong Tramway.
This double track line runs along Hong Kong Island through the cities main streets.
The system has around 200 tram cars built between the 1930-60's and refurbished by Brush in the 1980's with new wooden body kits shipped out from the UK.

They are unique in being the only pure double deck system in the world. (no single deck trams). The fleet is pretty uniform of 1 type, with just 2-3 different trams (rebuilds of the originals).

The ride costs 2 HKD, (around 15p) for any length journey and the trams run approximately every minute.

A Full length journey from Kennedy Town to Shaukeiwan will take around 80 bone shaking rattling minutes ! to cover the 8 miles.
Ive had the pleasure of riding these for over 10 years and apart from the fare the only other difference is that every tram is covered in advertising.

here's a few pictures from last weekend.

 

Hong Kongs Railways

Whilst Hong Kong Island only has an underground metro, there is a railway line running down from the Border at Lo Wu into Hung Hom (Kowloon & New Territories).

The line was originally built by the British as the Kowloon and Canton Railway running 21 miles, into the ferry terminous at the docks in Kowloon. This was later trimmed back to Hung Hom, and the harbour front was redeveloped for hotels etc. The former KCR station clock tower remains at the still used ferry terminus to Hong Kong island.

The new KCRC runs along the same route, every few minutes to Lo Wu. Additionally China Rail runs a near hourly non-stop express diesel hauled service from the Main Land using Dong Feng DF11 co-co diesels. These services run to Shanghai, Beijing, Tayoan, Shenzshen and Guanghou with customs / border facilities done in Hung Hom before departure, or Shenzhen before entering the Hong Kong territory.

There is a railway musuem, which until 2005 was really only a pagoda style building at Tai Po Market with pictures and memorabilia. It has more recently been expanded to include some original KCR wooden stock, a former G.E. built diesel, a narrow gauge former colony locomotive re-imported from the Philipines (it's sister is now at the Festiniog or WHR ?) and it is quite an interesting place to visit.

Last year a new extension line opened to Lok Ma Chau, this runs through the "forbidden zone" from Lok Ma Chau lookup, through the rice paddys directly up to the chinese border fence to a new station which literally allows you to walk over the border into China, trains run every few minutes to both border stations.

Here's a couple of pictures below, of Sha Tin station (note the British style signalling and left side running), corridor-less coaches with AC and TV Advertising (since the 1980's), the Chinese Border from the KCR train at Lok Ma Chau (note Chinese visa is required at this point), you can see the border fence at the bottom of the picture & the KCR clock tower.