Back from yet another Hong Kong visit
Checkerboard Hill - An Aussie's view of Hong Kong
by Marcus Wong
16h ago
February 2024 saw me finally return to Hong Kong, and this time with two young kids in tow! As with my previous visits, it’s been a mix of a few places I’ve been to before but wanted to share with kids, some new places we’d never ever been to, as well as my usual side trips to see trains – including railway lines that didn’t exist on our last visit. Day 1: arrival and airport bus to Kowloon. Day 2: Tsim Sha Tsui, Wong Tai Sin and Kowloon City, and a late night exploration of the MTR East Rail to Sha Tin Racecourse. Day 3: Bus through New Territories to the closed town of Sha Tau Kok, and hom ..read more
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A Hong Kong taxi in Australia
Checkerboard Hill - An Aussie's view of Hong Kong
by Marcus Wong
2w ago
Bright red Toyota Crown taxis are an icon of Hong Kong, so why would one be cruising around the streets of the Gold Coast in Australia? SBS News photo SBS News has the backstory. One wouldn’t bat an eyelid if they saw a red Toyota Crown taxi in Hong Kong and the iconic vehicle can now be spotted in Australia thanks to the handywork of one homesick Hongkonger living on the Gold Coast. Sampson Wong, who migrated 25 years ago, said it took him under five days to convert the Toyota Crown into a “taxi” and considered himself “lucky” for finding the model for sale online in Japan. “It feels very f ..read more
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Going for a long walk at Mei Foo station
Checkerboard Hill - An Aussie's view of Hong Kong
by Marcus Wong
1M ago
There are many interchange stations on Hong Kong’s MTR and most offer a convenient connection between trains, but there is one notable exception – that between the Tuen Ma and Tsuen Wan lines at Mei Foo. We start our journey on the southbound Tuen Ma line platform. Head up the escalators. To the concourse. Then along the first transfer passageway. Passing a long row of shops. Now for a second set of escalators. Down this time. We’re back at ground level and exit ‘D’, but we still have further to go. The walls turn from white to blue as the third set of escalators take us underground ..read more
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Then, now and in between at Tsim Sha Tsui Exit A1
Checkerboard Hill - An Aussie's view of Hong Kong
by Marcus Wong
1M ago
This is the story of a Hong Kong MTR exit – Exit A1 at Tsim Sha Tsui station. December 1979: grand opening of the new station. Information Services Department Reference No.: TA(2)1033 July 2009: much the same. Photo by GABell, via Wikimedia Commons December 2013: building a temporary exit alongside. January 2016: the exit is now a giant glass cube. Photo by Exploringlife, via Wikimedia Commons May 2016: finished! Photo by Exploringlife, via Wikimedia Commons The story behind the upgrade From a MTR press release dated January 2014. From tomorrow (16 January 2014), regular users of Entr ..read more
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KCR ‘Yellow Head’ train towing a KTT carriage
Checkerboard Hill - An Aussie's view of Hong Kong
by Marcus Wong
2M ago
I’ve come across photos of many oddball KCR train consists over the years, such as a ‘mixed’ KCR Metro Cammell train , but this one takes the cake – an original ‘Yellow Head’ train towing a double deck KTT carriage. The photo was posted with no context over at the discuss.com.hk forums, and a reverse image search hasn’t brought up the original source of the image The crossover between the two types of train was quite short – the KCR Metro Cammell EMUs were refurbished between 1996 and 1999, while the KTT train set arrived in Hong Kong in 1997. But why was an EMU coupled up to a single KTT car ..read more
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Behind the scenes refurbishing the KCR Metro Cammell EMUs
Checkerboard Hill - An Aussie's view of Hong Kong
by Marcus Wong
2M ago
Over on Bilibili I found something interesting dating back to 1999 – a video by Alstom covering the refurbishment of the KCR Metro Cammell EMU fleet. Here is a quick synopsis: 00:00: Introduction to Hong Kong 00:40: Introduction to the East Rail Line 02:00: Decision made to refurbish the trains 02:40: overview of refurbishment program 03:00: removal of unused intermediate driving cabs 03:30: increased passenger capacity 04:00: additional saloon doors 04:50: upgraded interiors, ventilation, passenger information screens 06:00: camshaft traction equipment replaced by thyristor system, new coup ..read more
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Garden Hill and the approach to Kai Tak Airport
Checkerboard Hill - An Aussie's view of Hong Kong
by Marcus Wong
3M ago
‘Checkerboard Hill’ and the runway lights atop the Kowloon City rooftops were well known features along the approach to the former Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong. But they weren’t the only lights guiding planes across Kowloon and onto runway 13 – there was an illuminated warning beacon atop a hill in Sham Shui Po. Screencap from 1990 film ‘My Hero’ Garden Hill (Chinese: 喃嘸山) is a 90 metre high hill to the west of Kai Tak Airport in Sham Shui Po. Google Maps The hill was named for the Garden Bakery factory below, located at the intersection of Castle Peak Road and Tai Po Road. Photo by Wueifod ..read more
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Living in a retired Hong Kong double-decker bus
Checkerboard Hill - An Aussie's view of Hong Kong
by Marcus Wong
3M ago
The average Hong Kong resident lives in a tall apartment block, but some people are not average – such as Ah Chung, who bought a retired KMB double-decker bus and transformed it into a two-storey home. Photo via China Motor Bus Memorial Page He built a roof over the bus. Photo via China Motor Bus Memorial Page Turning the upper deck into a bedroom and living area. Photo via China Motor Bus Memorial Page And building a kitchen, laundry, bathroom and toilet down below. Photo via China Motor Bus Memorial Page HK Magazine interviewed him in 2009 on his unusual home. HK Magazine: Why did you d ..read more
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KCR 60 arrives at the Hong Kong Railway Museum
Checkerboard Hill - An Aussie's view of Hong Kong
by Marcus Wong
4M ago
2023 saw a new arrival to the Hong Kong Railway Museum – retired ex-Kowloon Canton Railway EMD diesel locomotive #60 “Peter Quick”. Photo via Sing Tao Daily The retired EMD diesel locomotive was transferred to the Lo Wu locomotive running shed in March 2022 for restoration, where it received a repaint into the red, blue and grey livery it wore when last in revenue service with the MTR Corporation. The convoy departed Lo Wu on September 20 at 1am, travelling to Tai Po via Fanling Road and Tai Wo Road in Tai Po, arriving on Kwong Fu Road an hour later. A second prime mover was then attached to ..read more
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MTR’s rolling billboard – the ‘Spectacular Mobile Showcase’
Checkerboard Hill - An Aussie's view of Hong Kong
by Marcus Wong
5M ago
Back in 2005 the MTR unveiled an unusual train to their network – the ‘Spectacular Mobile Showcase’. MTR photo Their media release described it as: Innovative 3D advertising to liven up MTR tracks 2 October 2005 It’s a train. It’s an ad. It’s an advertising train. Leading the way in creating innovative new advertising formats, the MTR Corporation is introducing the Spectacular Mobile Showcase as the latest way to advertise in the extensive MTR’s system. This innovative advertising medium comprises a locomotive-driven, 3-dimensional display, which will pass through stations in between normal ..read more
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