CO129-559-1 Canton - Hankow Railways 15-1-1936 - 23-6-1936 — Page 33

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27.11.35

II

Inspectors.

The train was stopped at Lien Kong

Hou (74th mile) for about 12 minutes to enable me

to meet Mr. H. H. Ling, the Director of Construction

who was returning to Heng chow by the Up Express.

Met Mr. Li Sin Kan, the Managing Director of the

Southern Section at wong sha, and discussed various

aspects of the trip with him. Spent the night in

Canton.

Visited the water works and New Military Hospital

at Canton and returned to Hong Kong by the 1.00

p.m. Fast Through down train, arriving Hong Kong

at 4.20 p.m.

THE SOUTHERN SECTION FROM WONG SHA TO LOK CHONG.

3. The Southern Administrative Section is 170 miles

in length. Its track, which consists of 85-1b rails, is not

particularly well ballasted, The ruling grade is 1 in 143.

Many of the sleepers require renewal and it is presumably on

this account that the maximum speed is limited to 50 kilo-

metres (31 miles) per hour. The start to stop timing of the

Through Express averages 18.6 miles per hour which is less

than half that of the Kowloon-Canton Through Expresses,

There are no ashpits and a considerable length of the track

is covered with ashes. Wooden sleepers at Stations are being

replaced by the Siemen's steel variety, due to the fact that

the former are quickly burnt out by the raking out of the

fires from locomotives.

4. The rolling stock is extremely dilapidated with

the exception of a few new all-steel 40-ton wagons which have

been obtained recently. The main engines are Baldwins of the

4-8-2 type which are 5 years old, and locomotives of the

0-6-2 type supplied by the American Locomotive Company which

are 13 years old. These locomotives, which have 4'.6"

diameter coupled wheels, are not in a very good state of