COMMUNICATIONS
The use of Austerity 2-8-0 steam locomotives for the short run to the border and back is also uneconomical as the time spent standing in steam is unfortunately high in proportion to the actual mileage run. The remedy lies in the provision of Diesels and an order has been placed in Australia for two Diesel Electric locomotives with a view to a gradual change from steam to Diesel traction.
Orders placed in Britain in 1948 for passenger rolling stock were still not fulfilled by the end of 1953. In consequence, considerable inconvenience and overcrowding of passengers continued through the year.
The following statistics for the year under review concern the general operation of the railway: -
Length of lines
: Main Line-22 miles
Total length of lines-35 miles.
New Territories, Hong Kong.
3,993,002.
Main points of call
:
Total passengers carried:
Total freight carried
:
Passenger miles travelled:
233,536 tons.
49,312,492
Roads
The density of traffic has increased steadily since the war and, although more than 90% of the roads are all-weather, the old waterbound construction has deteriorated under present day conditions and its replacement by modern vibrated concrete surfaces has continued in accordance with the five year Road Reconstruction Plan. In addition to the reconstruction work, road maintenance work was undertaken by directly employed labour. Extensive new work was undertaken in connexion with the provision of access roads and paths to areas for the resettle- ment of persons cleared from the squatter areas.
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