1956-1957 — Page 15

The renewal of the old tracks at Kowloon Station, which was deferred from 1953 pending a decision as to the removal of the Station to Hung Hom, was commenced in November 1956 after a sufficient number of sleepers had been received. The material used for this work was as follows:

95 lb. rails

95 lb. switches

95 lb. crossings

Ordinary hardwood sleepers Crossing sleepers

Stone ballast

386 lengths.

9 sets.

6 sets.

2,598

216

1,540 tons.

A new siding, 287 ft. effective length, was constructed at Lowu with good old 85 lb. section rails.

The Praya Road and No. 1 Road at Kowloon were re-aligned and the curvature of the track flattened. Road No. 9 at Hung Hom was shifted for the construction of an approach road to the Chatham Road police camp.

Due to excessive rail wear being evident on the sharp curves, 8 rail-flange lubricators were ordered through the Crown Agents. Two arrived before the end of the year and were installed at Mile 10.

Expansion gaps over a distance of mile of the main line were adjusted with the addition of 950 anchors. The maximum rail creep recorded was only 13 inches.

Some 2,876 hardwood sleepers were renewed during the year. The ballast over one mile of track was cleaned and 383 tons of new ballast were used.

55. Signalling. The work for the installation of new signalling at Ma Liu Shui Station was completed with the exception of the facing point layouts which had not yet arrived from the Crown Agents.

All signal bridges, posts, bracket arms, point indicators and fouling points in all stations were overhauled and painted.

56. Kilometre and Gradient Post. The kilometre and gradient posts along the whole of the main line were repaired and painted.

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