44. Track. (a) The main line track was maintained to a good standard. All the fishplates in the main line were carefully inspected and greased.
(b) There was no major renewal during the year. Spot renewals included the replacement of six 95 lb. cracked rails 36 ft. long, five 1 in 8 95 lb. crossings, five 1 in 10 95 lb. crossings, one set of 18 ft. 95 lb. switches and one set of 15 ft. 95 lb. switches. Of the 1 in 10 crossings one was replaced by a manganese alloy crossing and two others were replaced by old 95 lb. crossings reconditioned by our own work- shops. The latter were put in as an experiment and so far have proved satisfactory.
(c) The expansion gaps of rail joints in the portion of the main line track from Mile 73 to Mile 8 and from Mile 12 to Mile 122 were ad- justed. A total of 500 rail anchors was added. In other parts of the main line track rail creep was kept under control.
(d) Due to excessive wear on the rail head of the outer rails on the curve at Mile 14, all outer rails of this curve were turned so that the worn edges face outwards. In all, 35 lengths of rail were turned.
(e) Some 550 cubic yards of stone ballast were renewed in No. 2 Tunnel, on Bridges Nos. 4 and 5, underneath Bridge No. 2 and inside the locomotive yard.
(f) 3,495 timber sleepers were renewed during the year.
45. Embankments. Some 8,660 cubic yards of earth obtained from the new Military Hospital site at King's Park were sent out by ballast trains for repairing the shoulders of the railway embankments along the main line from Kowloon to Lo Wu.
46. Signalling. (a) All signal gantries, signal arms, point indicators and fouling points were overhauled and repainted. Reflective paints and reflectorized sheets were used on the signal arms and point indicators in the outstations and all fouling points. The improvement to visibility of the signals at night has proved a great help to engine drivers.
(b) The un-armoured signal cables at Ma Liu Shui Station and Wo Hop Shek Station, which had become ineffective and caused frequent signal break-downs were replaced with armoured cables. A total of 4,800 linear yards of armoured cable was used.
47. Tunnels. All tunnels were inspected and maintained in as good order as funds permitted during the year. Another length of 200 linear yards of No. 5 Tunnel was thoroughly cleansed with high pressure jets of a mixture of detergent and water and sprayed with inch cement
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