XN000022-1973-08-03 — Page 2

Friday, August 3, 1973

TRIAL TUNNELS FOR MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY

Work on the excavation of four trial tunnels for the mass transit

railway has reached the stage where the sinking of shafts can now begin.

A spokesman for Charles Haswell and Partners, the engineering

consultants for these tunnels, said today that the specialised equipment

necded for horizontal boring was now being shipped from Britain,

The trial tunnels are being sunk to identify and solve the technical

problems which will arise in the course of construction of the mass transit

railway. They will also help train Hong Kong construction workers in soft

ground tunnelling techniques.

The spokesman said: "We started taking over and clearing the

sites in early June. We have now reached the stage where shaft sinking can

begin in earnest,"

"We are already in a position to install and operate the equipment

once it arrives in Hong Kong."

The four tunnel sites are: an area of the former naval dookyard

off Hercourt Road, known as the Admiralty site; an area to the south of

Salisbury Road, the Tsim Sha Tsui site;

estate in Kowloon City, the Lok Fu site;

off Castle Peak Road.

Note to Editors:

an open area opposite Lok Fu housing

and the Lai Chi Kok site which is

The Public Works Department has arranged for a tour of inspection of two of the sites -- Admiralty and Tsim Sha Tsui to take place on the morning of Thursday, August 9. You are invited to nominate a reporter and/or photographer to participate, Representatives should be at G.I.S. 16 m theatre, 5th floor, Beaconsfield House at 9 a.m. for an initial talk by Mr. Brian Honan of the consultants. This will be followed by a tour of the two sites and then return to GIS for a question-and-answer session, The list for nominations will close at midday on Tuesday, August 7. Nominations should be given to the duty officer, press room, GIS.

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