Contributions from:- HF Hugh Farmer JH James Hayes IDJ ER Elizabeth Ride Charcoal JH: Extracted from James’ article Charcoal Burning in Hong Kong which was included in the RASHKB Journal Volume 11, 1971. Not an obvious candidate as a utility but see the reference to North Point Power Plant. Electricity 1943 Aug “By August the coal stocks were exhausted. The power stations […]
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HF: The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) has published a Catalogue of Hong Kong Tunnels (up to February 2015). The list is extensive and as far as I know does not appear in a format which can be “searched”. The tunnels are grouped: 1. Road 2. Railway (MTRC and ex KCRC) 3. Water Supply 4. Drainage and Sewage 5. […]
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IDJ and Hugh Farmer have been trying to find out about a power company that is supposed to have existed in Tai O on Lantau Island. China Light and Power’s website says that in 1955 the company acquired the Tai O Power Company “which supplies power to Lantau Island”. IDJ says “I’ve not heard of the Tai O Power Company […]
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xxxx The prominent Towngas gasometer on the Aberdeen harbour front was erected in 1981 by Hong Kong United Engineering Ltd. though originally constructed by S Cutler & Sons of Telford, UK, on an unknown date. The Engineer 1968 Jan-Jun: Index has under Cutler & Sons Ltd., Samuel “Gasholder in steel tank ordered by Hong Kong & China Gas Co., C […]
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Tymon Mellor: The question was, “Who is Charles L Shank and what was his connection to the Shek Lai Pui Reservoir?”. A rather open question, but one that has led to an interesting journey. The questioner had acquired a large format book with 122 professional photographs of pre-war Hong Kong construction sites. Sample photographs provided documented the construction of the […]
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James Chan: This advert from the Hongkong Government Gazette of 9th January 1886 caught my eye. Further investigation brought up the announcement shown below the advert, published in Australia and New Zealand, warning readers that Norman Electric was an “unmitigated fraud and swindle” and exposing one Emil Bassett of New York who was operating under the alias Marsh Bassett. I […]
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Tymon Mellor: In the summer of 1963, with severe water restrictions of only four hours every fourth day in urban Hong Kong, the Colonial Government was searching for new water supplies that could be expeditiously developed. A number of schemes had been explored and these were presented to the Executive Council in October, 1963. In addition to the Plover Cover […]
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HF: A little more information about the Lok On Pai “Desalting” (as Desalination was called in the 1970s) Plant, Hong Kong. Thanks to SCT for proof reading the retyped version of the original book extract. Another important decision in the history of water supply in Hong Kong was the introduction of desalting plants. In 1971 an experimental desalting plant, which […]
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James Chan: Dragages Hong Kong, is a very familiar company name on signs at major construction projects around Hong Kong. It’s parent company is Bouygues Construction The company was founded in Vietnam in 1902 as Société Française Industrielle D’Extreme-Orient. It undertook its first project, the dredging and maintenance of a 2,000 kilometre canal system in the Mekong Delta. In 1910 […]
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Tymon Mellor: As the end of 2020 draws to a close the water storage reservoir at Bishop Hill in Shek Kip Mei has made headlines for all the wrong reasons. The relevant Government departments have failed to recognise the importance of this structure in the development of the Kowloon water supply and the unique design of this historic facility. Kowloon […]
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