1958-1959 — Page 9

17. Operation. Train punctuality continued to improve during the

year.

No. of scheduled

passenger trains

Percentage

Trains on time

Trains delayed for less than 5 minutes Trains delayed for 5 minutes and over

6,614 1,729

75.50

19.74

417

4.76

Total No. of passenger trains run ...

8,760

100.00

18. The number and types of special trains run for the period

under review were as follows:

Up

Down

Total

Goods (loaded)

49

530

579

Goods (empty)

335

335

Passenger

202

184

386

Passenger (empty)

17

17

Military

9

9

18

Ballast trains

87

87

174

682

827

1,509

19. To meet the increasing passenger traffic demand at Ma Liu Shui Station it was arranged that with effect from 29th May, 1958 Up Train No. 16 would make a scheduled stop there daily. A total of 9 Up and 8 Down Trains now make scheduled stops daily at this station which caters mostly for the staff and students of Chung Chi College.

20. On 4th September, 1958, H.E. the Governor paid a visit to the Railway and travelled to Tai Po Station on a special train.

21. At the request and expense of a firm building a new dyeing and finishing factory at Fo Tan, north of Sha Tin, a temporary level crossing was installed and manned near Mile 8 post. This was to facilitate delivery of building materials and heavy factory equipment to the site.

22. Fares and Rates. There was no revision of passenger fares during the year, but goods classifications were revised with effect from 1st December, 1958, to meet the requirements of the present goods traffic demand.

23. On 3rd October, 1958 special cheap rates were introduced for the conveyance of cattle. After the introduction of the new rates, a portion of this traffic the majority of which since December 1955 had been conveyed by road from Man Kam To to Kowloon has returned to the railway.

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