ENG-1964 — Page 214

COMMUNICATIONS

187

The volume of air traffic continued to increase steadily during the year and passenger, freight and mail figures showed increases of some 21 per cent, 25 per cent and 8 per cent respectively over the preceding year.

KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY

The British Section of the Kowloon-Canton Railway runs from Tsim Sha Tsui station at the southern tip of the Kowloon peninsula to Lo Wu at the Chinese frontier beyond which it joins the Chinese railway system. Since 1949 passengers have had to change trains at the border between the Colony and China and walk the 300 yards from Lo Wu station to Sham Chun on the other side. Mail and goods traffic in wagon loads, however, travel through without transhipment.

There are 17 daily passenger trains each way on the British section and an average of three goods trains each day. Passenger-traffic is normally heavy at week-ends and public holidays, especially in winter time. Special trains are often run between the Kowloon terminus and Sha Tin station which is a popular picnic resort. The running time, including stops, between Tsim Sha Tsui and Lo Wu is about one hour.

The number of passenger journeys now exceeds eight million a year and the greatest number of passengers carried in a single day during the year, was 117,272. This was on 4th April (the Ching Ming Festival) when many passengers went to visit their ancestors' graves in Wo Hop Shek Cemetery at Fanling and Sandy Ridge at Lo Wu.

Fares for third class travel are generally slightly higher than bus fares. Quarterly and monthly tickets are available at cheap rates.

Rolling stock in the British section comprises eight diesel-electric locomotives, one rail-bus, 71 passenger coaches and 204 goods

wagons.

A new terminal station at Hung Hom is being planned to supersede the existing terminus at Tsim Sha Tsui. The new terminus, which will include a passenger station and a railway goods yard, will occupy 32 acres of reclaimed land and consideration is being given to the possibility of developing above this area commercial and residential buildings, ferry concourse and car parks. New railway