A Hong Kong taxi in Australia

Bright red Toyota Crown taxis are an icon of Hong Kong, so why would one be cruising around the streets of the Gold Coast in Australia?


SBS News photo

SBS News has the backstory.

One wouldn’t bat an eyelid if they saw a red Toyota Crown taxi in Hong Kong and the iconic vehicle can now be spotted in Australia thanks to the handywork of one homesick Hongkonger living on the Gold Coast.

Sampson Wong, who migrated 25 years ago, said it took him under five days to convert the Toyota Crown into a “taxi” and considered himself “lucky” for finding the model for sale online in Japan.

“It feels very familiar because it’s a sight I grew up with,” Mr Wong said.

All the add-ons, including its roof light box, fare metre, price lists, yellow rule decals and no-smoking stickers, were sourced during personal trips to Hong Kong taxi dealerships and junkyards.

He added that he was able to complete his project, including buying, importing, modifying the vehicle, for under $30,000.

The idea to make the replica was first born during Mr Wong’s previous life as a part-time taxi driver while studying in Adelaide.

“I thought, wouldn’t it be fun and funny if I drove a Hong Kong-style taxi in Australia one day?” he said.

Mr Wong said he had plans to go on a long road trip to post pictures of his “taxi” in front of famous Australia landmarks.

“I want to stopover. take some pictures and add them to a blog,” Mr Wong said.

Beyond that, he has already set his sights on his next creative endeavour: retrofitting a Hong Kong public light bus – one of the city’s other familiar sights.

“This represents (the) personal affinity I have for Hong Kong,” he said.

Footnote

There are also a number of retired Hong Kong double deck buses in Sydney, and a similar replica Hong Kong taxi in Toronto.

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Going for a long walk at Mei Foo station

There are many interchange stations on Hong Kong’s MTR and most offer a convenient connection between trains, but there is one notable exception – that between the Tuen Ma and Tsuen Wan lines at Mei Foo.

Tsuen Wan line end of the transfer passageway at Mei Foo station

We start our journey on the southbound Tuen Ma line platform.

Southbound West Rail line platform at Mei Foo station

Head up the escalators.

Southbound West Rail line platform at Mei Foo station

To the concourse.

West Rail Line concourse at Mei Foo station

Then along the first transfer passageway.

Directions to the Tsuen Wan Line on the West Rail Line concourse at Mei Foo station

Passing a long row of shops.

Transfer passageway towards the Tsuen Wan Line on the West Rail Line concourse at Mei Foo station

Now for a second set of escalators.

Transfer passageway towards the Tsuen Wan Line on the West Rail Line concourse at Mei Foo station

Down this time.

Transfer passageway towards the Tsuen Wan Line on the West Rail Line concourse at Mei Foo station

We’re back at ground level and exit ‘D’, but we still have further to go.

Exit D at Mei Foo station, halfway between the Tsuen Wan and West Rail line concourses

The walls turn from white to blue as the third set of escalators take us underground.

Yet another set of escalators in the transfer passageway between the Tsuen Wan and West Rail lines at Mei Foo station

The transfer passageway turns a corner.

Tsuen Wan line end of the transfer passageway at Mei Foo station

And now a fourth set of escalators.

Escalators bank #3 in the transfer passageway between the Tsuen Wan and West Rail lines at Mei Foo station

They take use to the mosaic tiled Tsuen Wan line concourse.

Tsuen Wan line concourse at Mei Foo station

Where a fifth set of escalators bring us down to the Tsuen Wan line platforms.

Tsuen Wan line platforms at Mei Foo station

Confused? Well, here is a map of the station.

Alternatively, you can just follow the well designed wayfinding signage throughout the station.

West Rail Line concourse at Mei Foo station

Footnote

Opened in 1982 on the MTR Tsuen Wan Line, Mei Foo became an interchange station in 2003 with the opening of the KCR West Rail Line, and originally operated as two separate stations, until the 2007 merger of the KCR and MTR rail systems.

This merger of the station created issues for local residents who used the transfer passageway as an undercover route to the local shops, so ‘Paid Passageway Validators’ were introduced so they could pass through the paid area without having to pay a fare.

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Then, now and in between at Tsim Sha Tsui Exit A1

This is the story of a Hong Kong MTR exit – Exit A1 at Tsim Sha Tsui station.

December 1979: grand opening of the new station.


Information Services Department Reference No.: TA(2)1033

July 2009: much the same.

December 2013: building a temporary exit alongside.

MTR works to expand Tsim Sha Tsui station entrance A1

January 2016: the exit is now a giant glass cube.

May 2016: finished!

The story behind the upgrade

From a MTR press release dated January 2014.

From tomorrow (16 January 2014), regular users of Entrance/Exit A1 of MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station at the junction of Nathan and Haiphong roads will find their usual surroundings changed. They will be using a new temporary entrance/exit that has been put up for passengers next to the existing entrance/exit to facilitate the existing structure to be demolished and rebuilt into a brand new landmark for Tsim Sha Tsui.

When completed in 2015, the new Entrance/Exit A1 will be transformed into a giant “Crystal Cube” made of glass, a design that maximises the use of natural lighting during the day to conserve energy. Its transparent appearance will also blend in with the surrounding environment.

The distinctive and environmentally-friendly structure will include a new external lift and escalators, providing added convenience to MTR passengers, especially those with special needs. The lift will also provide a connection above street level to the entrance of Kowloon Park.

“Tsim Sha Tsui is one of our busiest stations and the new entrance, lift and escalators are designed to improve accessibility to the MTR as well as the surrounding area,” said Mr Jay Walder, Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation. “This is another project under our Listening ‧ Responding programme to bring direct improvements in areas that our passengers have told us they would like to see us do more.”

Footnote: another Exit A1 project

The ‘Exit A1’ project by Hong Kong photographer Helen Gray.

Hong Kong is made up of people living and working in many districts, each with a unique character, and this is what I hope to have captured in this collection of photos.

So, I set out on spare days from April 2012 to April 2013 to photograph the people and the environment around these 84 MTR stations.

To limit this otherwise overwhelming project, I have focussed on just one exit per station, that is Exit A1.

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KCR ‘Yellow Head’ train towing a KTT carriage

I’ve come across photos of many oddball KCR train consists over the years, such as a ‘mixed’ KCR Metro Cammell train , but this one takes the cake – an original ‘Yellow Head’ train towing a double deck KTT carriage.

The photo was posted with no context over at the discuss.com.hk forums, and a reverse image search hasn’t brought up the original source of the image

The crossover between the two types of train was quite short – the KCR Metro Cammell EMUs were refurbished between 1996 and 1999, while the KTT train set arrived in Hong Kong in 1997.

But why was an EMU coupled up to a single KTT carriage out of the mainline? Perhaps it early testing of the carriages before the matching Re 460 electric locomotives arrived in Hong Kong.

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Behind the scenes refurbishing the KCR Metro Cammell EMUs

Over on Bilibili I found something interesting dating back to 1999 – a video by Alstom covering the refurbishment of the KCR Metro Cammell EMU fleet.

Here is a quick synopsis:

  • 00:00: Introduction to Hong Kong
  • 00:40: Introduction to the East Rail Line
  • 02:00: Decision made to refurbish the trains
  • 02:40: overview of refurbishment program
  • 03:00: removal of unused intermediate driving cabs
  • 03:30: increased passenger capacity
  • 04:00: additional saloon doors
  • 04:50: upgraded interiors, ventilation, passenger information screens
  • 06:00: camshaft traction equipment replaced by thyristor system, new couplers, batteries, main transformer
  • 06:45: new emergency detrainment devices
  • 07:10: updated cab exterior and new livery
  • 08:00: 50% local sourcing of materials
  • 08:40: four phase testing and commissioning program
  • 10:00: train handover
  • 10:30 new trains in service

The refurbishment program was completed between 1996 and 1999, with only remaining ‘Yellow Head’ train being orphaned set E44.

Footnote: new cab and doors

Here’s a step by step look at the removal of the unused intermediate driving cabs and replacement with standard carriage ends.

And the process used to cut holes in the carriage walls for additional saloon doors.

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