C
- 4
THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1975
7
1
RAILWAY COACH AS BAR ?
*****
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO WINE OR DINE IN A BAR OR RESTAURANT WHICH WAS FORMERLY AN OLD RAILWAY COACH USED FOR CARRYING PASSENGERS UP AND DOWN THE TRACKS BETWEEN KOWLOON AND LOWU?
THIS IS A NOVEL IDEA PUT FORWARD BY THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY MANAGEMENT AND IF RESPONSE IS GOOD, VERY SOON HONG KONG WILL HAVE ONE OR MORE OF THESE IN SERVICE.
THE KCR IS NOW OFFERING ELEVEN OF ITS PRE-WAR COACHES FOR SALE AND INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM SCRAPPED AS WAS THE PREVIOUS PRACTICE, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THESE COACHES SHOULD BE PUT TO A BETTER USE.
THE COACHES ARE AMONG 14 PRE-WAR COACHES WHICH HAVE RETIRED FROM PASSENGER SERVICE SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF THE 40 NEW COACHES LAST YEAR, THE REMAINING THREE WILL BE RETAINED BY THE KCR FOR OTHER USES.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THESE OLD COACHES ARE STILL IN A REASONABLY GOOD CONDITION AND COULD BE ADAPTED WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS FOR USE AS BARS, RESTAURANTS OR EVEN HOLIDAY BUNGALOWS, PARTICULARLY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES,
EACH COACH IS ABOUT 64 FEET LONG, 14 FEET HIGH AND 10 FEET WIDE. THE OLDEST COACH HAS BEEN IN SERVICE AS EARLY AS 1910.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT PRICES FOR THE COACHES ARE NEGOTIABLE AND THEY CAN BE BOUGHT SEPARATELY. THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED SHOULD CONTACT THE GENERAL MANAGER, RAILWAY, AT THE TERMINAL BUILDING IN TSIMSHATSUI.
THE COACHES ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY WORKSHOP IN SHATIN NEAR HO TUNG LAU,
15