ENG-1968 — Page 268

f

196

COMMUNICATIONS

the border between the Colony and China and walk the 300 yards between the two termini. Mail and goods traffic in wagon loads, however, travel through without transhipment.

There are 17 daily passenger trains each way operating on the British Section and an average of five goods trains per 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 the terminal station in Kowloon at Tsim Sha Tsui and the border station at Lo Wu is

about one hour.

The greatest number of passengers carried in a single day during the year, was 121,357 on Friday, April 5, 1968-the Ching Ming Festival day when many visitors paid their respects to their ancestors in the cemeteries at Wo Hop Shek and Sandy Ridge in the New Territories.

Fares vary from $3 (1st class for the whole distance) to 40 cents (1st class minimum); 1st class fares are one third more than 2nd class fares and twice as much as 3rd class fares. Rail fares are slightly more than the corresponding bus fares except between Kowloon and Sha Tin. Children under 12 years of age pay half fare. Quarterly and monthly tickets at cheap rates are available for all stations. For a quarterly ticket, the fare is the sum of 75 ordinary single fares and for a monthly ticket-30 ordinary single fares. Holders may use their tickets,on any train and as many times as they like on any day.

Rolling stock in the British Section comprises nine diesel-electric locomotives, one rail-bus, 70 passenger coaches and 147 goods

wagons.

The planning and design of a new terminal station for the Kowloon-Canton Railway to be situated at Hung Hom adjacent to the proposed Cross-Harbour Tunnel is at present in progress. However, the new railway workshops at Ho Tung Lau, Sha Tin, and the new running and temporary carriage washing sheds at Hung Hom were completed and put into service in the middle of the year under review.