CO129-559-1 Canton - Hankow Railways 15-1-1936 - 23-6-1936 — Page 34

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repair.

5. The loops are short, varying from 900 to 1,000 feet.

There are no semaphore signals or electric tablet instruments,

the trains being operated by a form of staff and ticket

system in which one master brass disc and 3 iron disca known

as links, control movements between each pair of stations.

The control is supplemented by telephone between important

stations. When trains are to cross at a station, pointsmen

are sent out in both directions with flags or lamps. Every

train is marshalled with an armoured loop-holed wagon in front.

These wagons are occupied by railway police armed with rifles

and the usual number of armed guards per train is fourteen.

6. The country traversed is largely agricultural, rice,

sweet potatoes, peanuts and sugar cane being the principal

products. Considerable movement in cattle (principally water

buffaloes) was observed. There are coal mines near Ho Pon

Chung station, 147th mile from Canton, but I understand that

the coal is of poor quality. The North River parallels the

railway between the 50th and 100th miles and between Shaochow

and Lok Chong. The line runs through country of singular

beauty between the 60th and the 80th miles and its view is

interesting for the whole length. Most of the towns are

situated on the opposite side of the river to the Railway.

7. There is a very fine modern reinforced concrete

bridge with spans of 25 metres over the North River at

Shaochow. This bridge is approximately 1,500 feet long and

is an excellent piece of engineering. The section from

Shaochow to Lok Chong, which was opened to traffic in

September 1933, has been well built through difficult country.

There are many shale cuttings which must inevitably give a

certain amount of trouble to the Maintenance Department in

times of heavy rainfall.

The country just north of Shaochow

is well fortified with many pill boxes, wire entanglements