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into a general store and store offices, the old store accommodation being inadequate for present railway requirements. Eight lock up garages were provided, also a timekeeper's office. This con- tract was nearly completed at the end of the year.
Work on the construction of the over bridge to the north of Yaumari Station (Bridge No. 7) was delayed until the arrival of the steelwork, which was over-carried owing to the sennien's strike. The main line was deviated round the side of the new bridge, and traffic diverted without any interference. The masonry abutments and piers, with the exception of the west wings, which are situated under the divintion, were built in trenches, and were nearly up to bedstone level at the close of the year.
Considerable attention was given in collaboration with the Town Planning Committee to future railway requirements, and reservations of land likely to be required later for Branch Lines and Stations were decided upon. Surveys for the junctions of two probable branch lines were made, and centre lines staked out.
The new station building for Sheung Shui Station, for which provision was made in the estimates was not undertaken. An alternative proposal whereby the long grade of 1 in 100 would be reduced to 1 in 250 and a new station built in substitution for both Fanling and Sheung Shui was considered, but the project is still in abeyance.
At Lown the 150 feet brick running-shed mentioned in the last report was completed and sidings laid, a small reservoir was also made and water supply installed.
On the Fanling Branch Line the old engine-shed at Fanling Station was rebuilt, and a new one was erected at Sha Tau Kok. The old steelwork from the dismantled station at Hunghom was used in these buildings, with corrugated asbestos cement roofs and sides.
About 3,100 sleepers were renewed in the Main Line. Of these, 807 were of reinforced concrete and the remainder Australian hardwoods. Daring the year 1,105 reinforced concrete sleepers
were cast.
In July Messrs. Butterfield & Swire terminated their lease for the 1,800 sq. feet of spare railway laud occupied by them for coal storage, and new leases were entered into with the Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf & Godown Co. for several areas to be used as timber yards.
From the 13th January to the 8th March there was a strike of seamen which, as it developed, involved the majority of trades and seriously affected the business of the Colony. All strikers left the Colony For Cauton and this coupled with the fact that river
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steamboat traffic entirely ceased, caused record Passenger and Goods traffic by rail. Except that the drivers and firemen were persuaded to join the strikers a day before the settlement, the Railway staff remained loyal and handled unprecedented traffic in a commendable manner. The express trains had to be run in duplicate or were doubled-hanked. In the latter case they con- sisted of as many as 23 conches. It was found generally prefer- able to run in duplicate, each portion consisting of from 10 to 12 coaches. As many as 2,000 passengers were carried on one portion, and over 8,000 in a day.
The increased earnings of this period were somewhat reduced by a period of partial stagnation after the strike, by the launch- men's strike in May, and by the frequent train suspensions owing to political anrest in Canton and neighbourhood. Much incon- venience and loss was caused by resultant military operations between Sun Yat-sen and Chan Kwing-ming. On live occasions bridges on the Chinese Section of the line were damaged by explosives in attempts to prevent movements of troops. During this political unrest robber bands were as usual active along the part of the line in the Chinese Territory.
On two occasions the launch which plies between Taipa in British Territory and Sha U Chong in Chinese Territory was pirated.
During the visit of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in April, the Kowloon Railway Station was dressed with flags and buntings, and the building and clock tower facing the harbour fronts, including the goodshed, was picked out in red electric lights on the night of the 6th and 7th.
The Gross Receipts for the year were $710,295.75 as against $608,980.77 for 1921, an increase of $106,314.98. The balance after paying working expenses stands at $148,151,40.
The Through and Joint Sectional Passengers carried were na follows:-
1920. 1921.
Passengers booked by Stations in British Territory to Stations in China
Passengers booked by Stations
in China to Stations in British Territory
1922.
365,665 435,033 526,111
373,776 462,379 522,009
The Local Passengers carried were as follows am
Main line..... Fanling Branch
1920. 1921. 1922. 392,206 420,133 639,700 47,787 43,733 52,431
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