HF: I learnt about this company through the personal effects of Harry Kin Hong Long who briefly worked for Kung Lee from March to July 1923. Harry worked on two ships, the Kwong Mo and the Tin Ming as can be seen in his appointment letter below. Julia Bradshaw has kindly given permission to quote from her book, Golden Prospects…which finds […]
» Read more
Tymon Mellor: There are three things we can rely upon; prices will rise, politicians will disappoint and there will always be a train on East Rail. The latter was not always the case though, as up until 1974, there were only 17 passenger trains a day, but this was all about to change with the modernisation of the line. During […]
» Read more
By Fung Chi Ming The tricycle or ‘cycle rickshaw’, as some people now call it, combines the characteristics of bicycle and rickshaw. Tricycles could be found in Asia and around the world, but they differed significantly in design and appearance. In Malacca and Singapore, it was a carriage with a passenger seat on the left side of the rider. In […]
» Read more
IDJ: In the postwar years mid-stream ship cargo-handling was normal in Hong Kong but the territory was also aware of the great revolution being generated by the world movement towards unitization of cargoes. Godown and shipping companies were routinely recommending to shippers that cargo packages should be less than two-tons in weight (2,032 kilos) and less than forty cubic feet (1,133 […]
» Read more
Hugh Farmer with thanks to IDJ and Tymon Mellor for information and images. These come from The Engineer, 28th April 1911:- “The Beacon Hill Tunnel – Kowloon Canton Railway. Beacon Hill, about 1500ft in height, is part of a range of hills dividing Kowloon from the rest of the mainland. A tunnel through this hill was deemed necessary in connection with […]
» Read more
James Chan: Re the recent article Peak Tram: The Ward Leonard System installed 1926 I found this which I think must have been used in building the Peak Tram. This article was first posted on 14th June 2014. Source: Colorado School of Mines: Advanced funicular technology – page 3 the Abt Passing Loop Related Indhhk articles: Proposed Peak Tramway extension to Queen’s […]
» Read more
HF: In the article Ship breaking in Hong Kong – Junk Bay 將軍澳 – late 1970s IDJ mentions Argos which was a contract labour supplier to China Light & Power for a long period and ran their own fleet of double-decker buses to get their people to the Castle Peak Power Station site when it was under construction. From the company website: […]
» Read more
James Chan: Oasis Hong Kong Airlines Limited was a long-haul low-cost Asian airline. It operated scheduled services to London Gatwick Airport and Vancouver International Airport from its hub, Hong Kong International Airport. The airline offered low fares as its selling technique, which was similar to the operation principle of a low cost airline. Oasis was one of the growing number […]
» Read more
Tymon Mellor: At 11.39pm on the 3rd August, 1972 Mr M. McMillan, a construction superintendent became the first member of the public to drive from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon through the new cross-harbour tunnel. The tunnel project was a first, not only for connecting Hong Kong to Kowloon, but also for using private capital to finance the project under a […]
» Read more
Mike T and Hugh Farmer: The Port of Hong Kong was published by the Marine Department in 1966. The report covers a great deal to do with the administration of the port at this time. Of particular interest:- The section on Ship Breaking contains a list of firms engaged in this industry in the mid-1960s. Dockyards, Drydocks, Shipbuilding and Repair […]
» Read more