WAY AND STRUCTURES
41. Maintenance. Way and structures were maintained in good order during the year.
42. Track. (a) The main line track was maintained in good standard. All the fishplates in the main line were carefully inspected and greased. Some 780 cubic yards of stone ballast were renewed and 4,671 timber sleepers were replaced during the year.
(b) All the rails and fastenings in the main line curves of 5° and above were renewed. In all 492 lengths of 95 lb. 36 ft. long rail were replaced.
(c) The expansion gaps of rail joints in the main line track from Mile 5 to Mile 6 were adjusted. A total of 2,000 sets of 'Railock' resilient fasteners was added to the track.
(d) In order to restore the rails to their proper inclination, the rail seats in the sleepers of the main line curves at Mile 1, Mile 14, from Mile 104-Mile 10 and from Mile 143-Mile 15 were adjusted by adzing.
(e) 373 linear yards of track in No. 3 Road at Blackheads Yard, which were laid with 85 lb. rails and steel sleepers were replaced with 95 lb. rails and old concrete sleepers.
43. Embankment. Some 8,020 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.
44. Signalling. (a) All signal arms, point indicators and fouling points were repainted.
(b) An indent was placed for a completely new signalling system to replace the existing signalling system at Kowloon Terminus. The new system will be electrically operated and colour light signals will be used instead of the existing semaphore signals.
45. Tunnels. (a) All tunnels were inspected and maintained in good order during the year.
(b) A new portal, constructed by the Public Works Department over the main line track at Mile 13 to facilitate the crossing of Nairn Road Extension over the railway line, was completed in June 1961. The structure is 940 feet long and is built of reinforced concrete.
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