Hong Kong Tramways

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Double decker No. 120 on the Hong Kong Tramway

The Hong Kong Tramways ( Chinese  香港 電車  /  香港 电车 , Pinyin Xiānggǎng Diànchē , Jyutping Hoeng 1 gong 2 Din 6 ce 1 ), coll. Also called "Ding Ding" ( 叮叮 ), is a tram in the north of the city since 1904 Hong Kong Island . The exclusively double-decker coaches based on the British model are a tourist attraction.

history

Tram track plan, 1996

The construction of an electric tram was proposed as early as 1881; however, at that time nobody was prepared to invest in such an immature system. In 1902 the legal basis was created with a Tramway Bill . The Hong Kong Tramways Electric Company Limited , a UK company, received a concession for the construction and operation of the tram. The company was soon taken over by the Electric Traction Company of Hong Kong Limited and became Hong Kong Tramways Company Limited in 1910 . In 1922, a new company, Hong Kong Tramways Limited , was formed to take over tram operations. From 1974 to 2010 the tram belonged to Wharf Transport Investments Ltd , a subsidiary of Wharf Holding , then Veolia Transport China Limited (VTCL).

Construction began in May 1903. After a trial period, the line between Arsenal Street in Causeway Bay and Shau ​​Kei Wan was opened on July 30, 1904. Double-deck cars have been in service since 1912. A branch line has been leading to Happy Valley since 1914 . Shortly thereafter, the line was extended west to Kennedy Town . Originally there were numerous single-track sections, which were gradually expanded to two tracks by August 1949. The line around the Happy Valley Racecourse remains single-track and is only served in one direction (clockwise).

business

Turning point Shau Kei Wan in the east of the route

The tram network, with a gauge of 1067 millimeters (three and a half feet), is 13 kilometers long and shares the streets with other means of transport. The power system used is 550 volts direct current . The trams only run on the north side of Hong Kong Island. The three-kilometer-long, loop-shaped branch route to the Happy Valley racecourse is single-lane and is driven clockwise. There are six intersecting lines departing from Kennedy Town, Whitty Street, Western Market, Causeway Bay, North Point, Shau Kei Wan, and Happy Valley stops :

Hong Kong Tramway route network

  • Shau ​​Kei Wan ↔ Western Market
  • Shau ​​Kei Wan ↔ Happy Valley
  • North Point ↔ Whitty Street
  • Happy Valley ↔ Kennedy Town
  • Causeway Bay ↔ Kennedy Town
  • Western Market ↔ Kennedy Town

Like the omnibuses , Hong Kong's trams are often overcrowded. Each car can carry 115 people. During rush hour, several cars often jam one behind the other. In 2002 an average of 240,000 passengers a day were counted.

The stops are on average 250 meters apart. Most of them are in the middle of the street and are accessed through zebra crossings or pedestrian overpasses .

The trams run between 5:10 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. During rush hour, the interval between two cars is approximately 90 seconds and the maximum speed is 40 km / h.

vehicles

Car number 88 in Sheung Wan
Upper deck of a double-decker car
The single-story sidecars are no longer in use, here in 1970

The Hong Kong Tramways Limited comprises a total of 163 double-deck tramcars. Two of them (No. 68 and No. 128) have an open upper deck; these are used for city tours and private events. There is also a work car (No. 200). Most of the cars in use today were built in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Since 2000, they have been gradually modernized and brought up to date in the area of security .

Also in the year 2000 three new vehicles were put into operation (No. 168–170), which is why they are called Millennium Trams . In the near future, the tram cars are to be air-conditioned , for this purpose car No. 171 was built as a prototype .

When it opened, the tram had 26 single-story cars imported from Great Britain. They were 8.84 meters (29 feet) long and 1.85 meters (six feet) wide. However, from 1912 onwards they were quickly converted to double-decker cars with an open upper deck. Fixed roofs were introduced on all wagons in 1923, which significantly improved comfort. From 1964 sidecars were used , all of which were only single-story and carried passengers of the first class ; these disappeared from the streets again by 1982.

Fares

The tram is not only one of the oldest modes of transport in the city, but also the cheapest. Fares are Hong Kong $ 2.60 for adults, $ 1.30 for children and $ 1.20 for seniors. The fare is charged at a flat rate regardless of the route; it is paid when you get off. A ticket inspection is thus superfluous. Passengers put the money in a payment box next to the driver, no change is given. The Octopus card can also be used, a rechargeable, contactless chip card .

Timetable

  • 1881: A tram is proposed for the first time in Hong Kong
  • 1901: The proposal is accepted by the Hong Kong government
  • 1902: The Hong Kong Tramway Electric Company Ltd. is established, at the end of the year it is converted into Electric Tranction Company of Hong Kong Ltd. renamed.
  • 1903: start of construction
  • 1904: The line opens on July 30th
  • 1910: Another name change, the company is now called The Hongkong Tramways Ltd.
  • 1912: Introduction of double-decker trams
  • 1914: The branch line to Happy Valley opens
  • 1932: North Point depot opens
  • 1949: Elimination of the last single-lane section
  • 1954: The depot North Point is closed, the depot will instead Russell Street extended and in Depot Sharp Street renamed
  • 1964: Trial introduction of sidecars
  • 1967: A new tram design is presented
  • 1974: Takeover of Hong Kong Tramways Ltd. by Wharf Holding
  • 1986: Start of the renewal of the vehicle fleet
  • 1989: Sharp Street depot closes and is replaced by Sai Wan Ho and Whitty Street depots .
  • 2000: Millennium trams are introduced

literature

Web links

Commons : Trams in Hong Kong  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. New Tram Fares Effective on Monday, July 2, 2018 - Hong Kong Tramways