HF and IDJ: Up until 1926 steam power was used to drive the Peak Tram. In that year an electricity-powered haulage gear Ward Leonard system was installed incorporated within the double reversible funicular railway. Details of this system are provided below under the basic concept first link. I don’t fully understand this and wonder if anyone can provide an even simpler […]
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Before the British took over the New Territories in July, 1898 there were no roads but an extensive network of footpaths paths or Chinese Roads across the territory. These paths provided connections between the villages and to the sea shore for marine transport. The first topographical map of the New Territories, published in 1904 describes the paths as “Chinese roads about 4′-0″ […]
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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 […]
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Elizabeth Ride has sent the following summation of BAAG reports about Tramway services from 1942 through to September 1944. John Smith kindly typed out the original report. The HONGKONG tramway, which was extensively damaged at certain points during hostilities, was partially restored on 27 January 1942 and a full service along the entire route was resumed on 20 March 1942. Up to December […]
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Judy Chan, Harry (Kin Hong) Long’s daughter has kindly sent a number of documents, work testimonials and photographs about her father’s life in Hong Kong. He was born New Zealand in 1900 and died there in 1984. However he worked for two Hong Kong companies, Kung Lee Steam Ship and HK and Yaumati Ferry which is of great interest to us. […]
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Elizabeth Ride: Now, here’s a mystery. After reading the latest BAAG article, Bosco Radio Corp, the Gardner brothers and Kyoei Corp, I followed the link to the Shirogane Maru, and found that it differs in one important point – the fate of the ship. Wrecksites has it remaining in Buin for the duration of the war, while BAAG has it entering Kowloon […]
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HF: This film, titled Kai Tak Airport – the Final Approach, is a production of Cathay Pacific Airways Corporate Coomunications Department. It covers: A brief history of Kai Tak The history of Cathay Pacific CP’s two founders, American, Roy C Farrell and Australian, Sydney H de Kantzow Butterfield & Swire’s involvement Links to the HK Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO) P&O’s […]
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With the ceding of Kowloon to the British in 1860, under the Convention of Peaking, development of the barren headland begin. What had been an area for boat building and small villages became a city with roads and services. Naming of the roads was a problem. The initial development on Kowloon was a military camp and by 1864 this became […]
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CM Fung has sent an extract of the book, Hong Kong Trams: Hongkong Tramway: 100 Years by Mike Davis. The Publisher’s website says the book is no longer available in bookshops but CM says it is available in a number of Hong Kong public libraries. These sections covered are: Initial proposals The Tramway route Tram services and termini Rolling stock […]
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CM Fung, IDJ and HF have compiled a list of books which contain information about the history of trams in Hong Kong. HF: I have added a useful, brief synopsis and review of some of the books provided by the http://www.orientalmodelbuses.co.uk/ website linked below. These also tell you whether the book is in English, Chinese or is bilingual. Hongkong Tramways, Joseph […]
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