S 13
40. A further link in the chain of co-operation between the two Sections was forged on July 16th, when a Chinese Section engine driver brought the "Flying Eagle" morning express into Kowloon. Punctuality had suffered considerably since May 1st, when the three superheated express locomotives purchased by the Chinese Section were handed over to them and the account for payment closed. From that date it had been necessary to change engines at Shunichun. The time allowed was found to be insufficient, and could not be made up without increasing speed if the through schedule of 2 hours 55 minutes was to be adhered to, more particularly since a further stop at Ping Wu had been introduced into the same over-all timing. Further, the existing arrangement precluded the proper servicing of the three locomotives. To alleviate matters, a reciprocal haulage agreement was reached whereby the British Section reverted to hauling the up and down fast trains between the two terminals, and the Chinese Section worked the four express trains. The arrangement works well, since it not only provides adequate running shed facilities for the Chinese Section engines, but enables them to replenish their stores of coal and oil at Kowloon at much cheaper rates than those obtaining at Canton.
41. Opportunity was taken, on the introduction of the winter timetable on October 1st, to close down a halt erected at Che Kung Miu (mile 6.12) which was opened at the request of the elders from the Tai Hang Village on November 16th, 1885. The halt received a reasonable amount of patronage at first, but later the numbers fell off and it consequently became unremunerative.
42. The year commenced with a daily service of 28 trains, and this number ran until February 6th when it was reduced to 26, on the cancellation of up and down special-fare trains arising out of the fare consortium with the river-boats. A still further reduction to 24 trains per day was effected on September 8th, when the closing down of the ShunChun Casino made further economies essential.
43. Thirty-six special trains were run in 1936. Of this number 18 were holiday specials for the Ching Ming and Easter festivals, running as duplicates and at times triplicates to booked expresses, whilst the rest consisted of tourist, race and military trains.
44. Accidents, both operating and personal, are detailed below:
Minor collisions 3 Engine failures 1 Trespassers killed by trains 11 Trespassers injured by trains 11 Total accidents 26