History Tsuen Wan Line

1 history

1.1 construction
1.2 transfer tung chung line
1.3 transfer former kcr systems
1.4 chronology

history
early construction

the tsuen wan line second of 3 original lines of mtr network. initial plan line different current line, in names , construction characteristics of new territories section.

the original plan envisioned terminus in valley further west of present tsuen wan station. tsuen wan west station different current tsuen wan west station on west rail line, located under land reclaimed @ later time. line supposed run underground in tsuen wan rather on ground level.

the final route design allowed truncated line. construction of branch line tsuen wan approved in 1975 , commenced afterwards. new section tsuen wan lai king , skipping intermediary stations prince edward opened on 10 may 1982 , joined section under nathan road in kowloon had been in service since 1979 part of kwun tong line. @ opening, prince edward interchange-only station no option enter or exit. did not become standard station until remaining stations on line in sham shui po district, i.e. sham shui po, cheung sha wan, lai chi kok , mei foo, opened week later.

several stations differ in names or location initial plan. during planning, kwai hing named kwai chung, kwai fong lap sap wan (literally rubbish bay, location close now-disused landfill in gin drinker s bay), lai wan (currently mei foo) lai chi kok, lai chi kok cheung sha wan, cheung sha wan uk. these stations renamed in english , chinese before service began.

upon opening of island line, chater, waterloo, , argyle, named based on streets crossing or above stations, chater road, argyle street, , waterloo road respectively, renamed central, yau ma tei, , mong kok, resembling names of station in chinese. lai wan renamed mei foo in both english , chinese.

mong kok station planned built bit further north of present location , sham shui po bit further south of present location before need accommodate intermediary station, prince edward.

transfer tung chung line

when tung chung line constructed, lai king selected interchange passengers did not have go way hong kong island change trains. northbound tracks on tsuen wan line moved run above southbound tracks @ lai king support cross-platform interchange tung chung line.

the original platform 1 tsuen wan-bound trains removed , filled, becoming part of current, wider low-level island platform. allowed interchange platform 4 hong kong-bound tung chung line trains, run on tracks further away original platform.

the new platform opened in 1997, year before tung chung line began service. tracks built south of lai king station linking tsuen wan line , tung chung line; point tung chung line connects other urban lines.

transfer former kcr systems

to cope extensions , new lines, mei foo , tsim sha tsui stations had new subsurface walkways added connect west rail line s mei foo , east tsim sha tsui stations. interchange facilities @ mei foo opened in 2003 when west rail opened. interchange located @ tsim sha tsui entered service in 2004, along completion of east rail line s (formerly kcr east rail) extension east tsim sha tsui.

chronology

1967: tsuen wan line included in hong kong mass transport study
1970: tsuen wan line included in hong kong mass transit further studies, kong kow line , tsuen wan branch
1977: construction approved and, not long after, started on 1 march 1979
16 dec 1979: jordan , tsim sha tsui opened part of kwun tong line
16 dec 1979: waterloo , argyle opened part of kwun tong line
12 feb 1980: admiralty , chater opened part of kwun tong line
26 apr 1982: original kwun tong line split 2 sections: new kwun tong line ran far waterloo, while tsuen wan line ran chater argyle; there non-passenger tsuen wan line trains continued tsuen wan
10 may 1982: line opened service tsuen wan lai king , direct prince edward station, opened interchange kwun tong line
17 may 1982: remaining stations, lai wan sham shui po, opened; prince edward became standard station
31 may 1985: on opening of island line, 8 stations of line renamed. (see station list below details)
23 may 1986: central became interchange station upon extension of island line sheung wan
11 mar 1991: line broke down , public transport adversely affected
23 apr 1993: 2 interlinking carriages disconnected during operation within section between tsuen wan , tai wo hau. nobody hurt, , mtrc reported hook between 2 concerned carriages not fastened, leading incident
2 jul 1997: new platform 1 situated on new high-level platform @ lai king opened
20 mar 2003: connect new kcr west rail mei foo station, passageway built between 2 stations, new exit d on midway of passageway
5 jan 2004: fire started in train on way admiralty station 14 people injured. 55-year-old male arsonist responsible fire , arrested following day
24 oct 2004: new exit g @ tsim sha tsui constructed passageway under mody road connect station new kcr east rail
30 mar 2005: new exit f @ tsim sha tsui constructed passageway under middle road connect east tsim sha tsui station
21 oct 2010: overhead electric cable in yau ma tei station broke during service hours; @ least 280,000 passengers affected.