Abandoned Railway Lines, Stations and Tunnels in Hong Kong…and more

Hugh Farmer: Marcus Wong has been in touch after I wrote to him asking if I could publicize his website. He describes himself as a “self confessed train nut” and lives in Melbourne, Australia. His father is from Hong Kong. He says he hasn’t been able to visit here as much as he would like. This is not obvious from the tremendous amount of valuable research he has done into many aspects of railways in Hong Kong.

Let’s start with what Marcus has discovered about abandoned lines, stations and tunnels.
His website (see below) has information about the following:

  • Shau Tau Kok railway
Former Hung Ling Station  Sha Tau Kok Railway.

Former Hung Ling Station Sha Tau Kok Railway.

Shau Tau Kok railway Hung Ling station Apr 2011

Former Hung Ling Station April 2011. Thanks to Thomas Ngan.

  • Kowloon Station
Sidings to the right are on the original alignment of the Kowloon-Canton Railway bound for the Tsim Sha Tsui terminus.

The sidings to the right are on the original alignment of the Kowloon-Canton Railway bound for the Tsim Sha Tsui terminus.

  • Wo Hop Shek branch line
  • Beacon Hill tunnel
Northern portal of the Beacon Hill tunnel

Northern portal of the Beacon Hill tunnel

  • Lai King Station
  • Sheung Wan Station
Spare platforms at Sheung Wan Station

Spare platforms at Sheung Wan Station

  • Diamond Hill Station
  • Kowloon Station (Tung Chung line)
  • Tai Koo
  • Kowloon Tong Station (Kwun Tong line)
  • East Rail ( just north of University Station)

Checkerboard Hill- abandoned railway lines, stations and tunnels

Marcus has also investigated  where freight trains operated. In particular he writes about:

  • Hung Hom
The International Mail Centre Hung Hom

The International Mail Centre
Hung Hom

  • Mongkok
Mong Kok Station -small freight terminal beneath the station podium.

Mong Kok Station -small freight terminal beneath the station podium.

  • Shatin
  • Fo Tan
  • Sheung Shui
  • Lo Wu

Rail freight yards

Marcus also wrote about rail freight in Hong Kong  on  28th Sept 2011:
Ten years ago a passenger waiting for a train on the East Rail Line had a good chance of seeing a lengthy freight train go speeding past, but over the intervening years the consists had shrunk to just a single wagon, and by June 2010 there were no freights at all. So why did they disappear?

Transport of pigs from farms in Mainland China to Hong Kong slaughterhouses

Transport of pigs from farms in Mainland China to Hong Kong slaughterhouses

Demise of rail freight in Hong Kong

See: www.checkerboardhill.com

This article was first published on 29th April 2014.

Related Indhhk articles:

  1. Beacon Hill Tunnel, KCR, longest tunnel in China 1910
  2. The KCR – choices of routes, construction and opening
  3. KCR Whampoa Railway Siding
  4. The Sha Tau Kok railway
  5. The Sha Tau Kok railway – further information
  6. Sha Tau Kok branch railway – Absorbing 1986 account by RJ Phillips
  7. Tai Po Kau Railway Station – dramatic film!
  8. Wo Hop Shek Spur Line

4 Comments

  • Thomas Ngan

    Hi there,

    The former Hung Ling Station Sha Tau Kok Railway.is still there, but it is fenced off and much over grown now. See street view for a 2011 image (https://goo.gl/maps/4fBbo)

    T

    • Thanks Thomas

      I have added the photo to the Shau Tau Kok section of the article.

      I wonder if any of the other stations on the line still exist? Or evidence of the railway line itself?

      Hugh Farmer

      • Zepfey Zepfey

        There’s a farm in Sha Tau Kok where the former building that housed the Shek Chung Au station is. It’s now a gallery building

  • Roisin Brady

    I have just noticed an abandoned railway line, secretly standing on archways, above the tunnel that links Wan Chai to Aberdeen.
    I get the bus to Aberdeen each morning and have never noticed the track before, it’s camouflaged into the trees and the hill, and looks like it’s been out of use for decades.
    I am guessing it’s located somewhere around Stubbs Road, as I noticed it when looking up to my right, towards The Peak, just before entering the tunnel. I’ll try and get a photo next time!

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