ENG-1977 — Page 223

162

COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT

The construction of two new sidings at Fo Tan, near Sha Tin, for unloading oil and dry goods imported from China was completed in July. The oil siding was opened in May for unloading rail-borne petroleum products from China, which began exporting oil to Hong Kong in 1974.

Work on the construction of a new loop line and station near the railway workshops at Ho Tung Lau, Sha Tin, started in March to service the new Sha Tin racecourse. It is expected to be completed by September, 1978, in time for the opening of the new racecourse in October.

A marshalling yard at Lo Wu, consisting of seven tracks with an overall trackage of 3,140 metres, was partially opened in November and will be completed in mid-1978. This will take over the marshalling of goods wagons arriving from China, a service that the People's Republic of China formerly provided.

International tenders were called in June to build a new tunnel through Beacon Hill to accommodate two railway tracks with lower approach gradients. Construction work will begin in January, 1978.

To raise the standard of the track for faster and heavier trains, reballasting under the existing track to a greater depth started in September. Heavier 54 kilogram per metre rails resting on concrete sleepers with long welded sections are being introduced progressively to replace 43 kilogram per metre rails on wooden sleepers. This project will be completed in 1982.

The remodelling of the Mong Kok and Sha Tin stations both started in October. The Sha Tin station and the first phase of the Mong Kok station will be completed about the end of 1979. As a result of the remodelling of Mong Kok station, the unloading of livestock imported from China formerly dealt with in Mong Kok was transferred to new sidings at Ho Man Tin from September. Ho Man Tin was partly opened in October, 1976.

Tendering for the remodelling of the Sheung Shui station is still in progress and construction will start about the beginning of 1978. The work consists of building a new passing loop line 609 metres long, an additional sheltered platform 365 metres long, and a footbridge linking the new platform with the old platform. It is expected to be completed in October, 1978.

Four air-conditioned coaches were put into service in February, 1977. Tenders were called in the middle of the year to provide air-conditioning for four more coaches and it is hoped that they can be put into service before next summer. Plans also are in hand to have three more coaches air-conditioned during the 1978-9 financial year.

Two new locomotives, each of 1,492 kW, arrived in March and were put into service immediately. As a result, the number of daily passenger trains was increased from 20 to 22 on April 18, and the number of possible goods trains increased to 10 each way. Six new rapid ticket-issuing machines, each capable of issuing about 200 tickets a minute, were installed in the booking office in April.

In January, a British consultancy firm was appointed to carry out a study on the possible electrification of the main line, and the technical and economic feasibility of a number of railway extensions. A report on the findings was submitted to the government in October and the recommendations are now being studied.