TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1980
PRINCESS ALEXANDRA OPENS MTR
MODIFIED INITIAL SYSTEM
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HRH PRINCESS ALEXANDRA USHERED IN A NEW ERA FOR THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC TODAY (TUESDAY) WHEN SHE STARTED A SPECIAL MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY TRAIN TO CROSS THE HARBOUR FROM TSIM SHA TSUI STATION IN KOWLOON TO CHATER STATION ON HONG KONG ISLAND.
THE OCCASION HERALDED THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE FULL $5 800 MILLION MODIFIED INITIAL SYSTEM. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL NOW BE ABLE TO TRAVEL FROM EAST KOWLOON (KWUN TONG) TO HONG KONG ISLAND IN 28 MINUTES.
THE PRINCESS AND THE HON ANGUS OGILVY, ACCOMPANIED BY THE GOVERNOR AND LADY MACLEHOSE, ARRIVED AT TSIM SHA TSUI MTR STATION WHERE SIR MURRAY PRESENTED MR NORMAN THOMPSON, CHAIRMAN OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION (MTRC).
AT THE STATION PLATFORM, MR THOMPSON PRESENTED MEMBERS OF THE MTRC BOARD AND THEIR WIVES BEFORE THE ROYAL PARTY, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, BOARDED THE SPECIAL TRAIN FOR THE UNDER-HARBOUR TRIP.
WITH PRINCESS ALEXANDRA ON BOARD, THE TRAIN SPED BENEATH HONG KONG'S BUSY HARBOUR AND ARRIVED AT ADMIRALTY STATION IN THREE MINUTES FOR A SIGNAL CHANGE BEFORE PROCEEDING TO CHATER STATION.
EMERGING FROM THE TUNNEL AT THE MAIN CENTRAL STATION, THE SPECIAL TRAIN CUT THROUGH STRANDS OF COLOURFUL RIBBONS STRETCHED HIGH ACROSS THE TRACKS BEFORE COMING TO A SMOOTH STOP TO THE APPLAUSE OF THOSE AWAITING ITS ARRIVAL.
ON LEAVING THE TRAIN MR THOMPSON PRESENTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FIRMS INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MTR WHO WERE ASSEMBLED ON THE PLATFORM AND INTERMEDIATE LEVELS OF CHATER STATION.
STRAINS OF CORRIE CHOILLEIES (WELCOME TO THE NORTHERN MEETING) FROM THE BAGPIPES OF SGT. YAN BAHADUR GURUNG, PIPE MAJOR OF THE QUEEN'S GURKHA ENGINEERS, FILLED THE VAST UNDERGROUND COMPLEX AS THE ROYAL COUPLE ASCENDED TO THE INTERMEDIATE LEVEL BY ESCALATOR.
THE PIPE MAJOR, CLAD IN FULL CEREMONIAL PARADE DRESS, CONTINUED TO ENTERTAIN THE GATHERING AS THE PRINCESS SHOOK HANDS AND SPOKE TO THE PRESENTEES. STANDING SOLDIER STRAIGHT, SGT. YAN PLAYED THREE OTHER SCOTTISH AIRS, JENNY'S BAWBEE, TERI'S BUS AND MISS DELICIA CHISHOLM.
PRINCESS ALEXANDRA THEN PROCEEDED BY ESCALATOR TO THE STATION LOBBY WHERE SHE UNVEILED A PLAQUE COMMEMORATING THE COMPLETION OF THE MTR MODIFIED INITIAL SYSTEM.
THE EVENT WAS BROADCAST LIVE BY BOTH RADIO AND TELEVISION, AND SPECIAL CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION ENABLED THE 1 600 GUESTS THROUGHOUT THE LARGE LOBBY AREA OF CHATER STATION TO SHARE IN THE OCCASION.
AT THE COMMUNITY RECEPTION THAT FOLLOWED. PRINCESS ALEXANDRA CHATTED AND MINGLED FREELY WITH THE 1 600 GUESTS DRAWN FROM A WIDE CROSS SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY.
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