Chinese version is available at (中文版): https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/uJ-aH1YZWKdpRzy0gunnvg
On May 11, 2025, the installation of the last platform screen door at University Station was completed, with the remaining platform screen door construction also set to be fully completed in May-June 2025. This marks the conclusion of the long-delayed “Railway 2.0” and Sha Tin to Central Link (SCL) project (the official name for the Tuen Ma Line and East Rail Line cross-harbour section, referring to the “Sha Tin to Central Link”).
Due to the construction of the SCL, the Hong Kong railway system experienced many significant events during 2020-2022. I have been living in the Sha Tin district for these years, and being in close proximity, I had the fortune to witness and personally participate in many of these events. Recently, coinciding with the 3rd anniversary of the East Rail Line’s cross-harbour section opening, as well as the 3rd anniversary of the MLR trains’ retirement and the 43rd anniversary of the “Yellow-headed” trains’ service, I have organized the relevant photos I have on hand to share my memories of this railway line over these years.
I miss the braised chicken legs from the through train
In 2019, I took the through train multiple times between Hong Kong’s Hung Hom Station and Guangzhou East Station, traveling on both Guangzhou Railway (CR) and Hong Kong MTR trains. On January 24, 2020 (Chinese New Year’s Eve), I took the early KTT train back to Guangzhou, thinking I would return to Hong Kong after the holiday to continue my student life. No one could have imagined that the COVID-19 pandemic would so quickly and decisively interrupt normal life. The through train service was also suspended a few days later, until 2024 when the final decision was made to permanently cancel it.
Speaking of the through train, MTR’s distinctive feature was definitely its exclusive double-decker KTT trains, while on the Guangzhou Railway side, I would nominate the braised chicken legs sold by chefs carrying large metal trays, priced at 20 yuan each. The KTT has already been moved to a museum, and people can see it at the “Station Rail Voyage” exhibition at Hung Hom Station. As for the braised chicken legs now served on trains between Guangzhou East/Guangzhou South and Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, I haven’t tried them yet, so I don’t know if they still taste the same as I remember…
Mixed Train Formations: How to Prevent Passengers from Running to Catch Trains?
In 1990, an RTHK program “Hong Kong Connection” (《铿锵集》) reported that the Kowloon-Canton Railway (now the East Rail Line) operated trains with various formations, but there were no indications on the platforms about the length of the next train, forcing passengers to find boarding positions only after the train arrived. Many passengers had to run on platforms, creating dangerous situations.
Many years later in 2020, the East Rail Line once again needed to change its train formations. This time, the reason was that two stations on Hong Kong Island lacked sufficient space to build platforms for 12-car trains, so new trains needed to be shortened to 9-car formations. To assist passengers, MTR implemented many measures to clearly indicate boarding positions for both types of trains and displayed upcoming train formation information on platform PIDS (Passenger Information Display System) screens. Finally, after completing the train replacement in 2022, they further optimized stopping positions at each station, placing trains closer to escalators and straight sections of platforms. Only after adjusting these stopping positions could platform screen doors be installed on the East Rail Line.
MLR
After 40 years of service on the East Rail Line, the “Yellow-Head” / MLR trains finally retired on May 6, 2022. On that day, MTR held a simple yet solemn retirement ceremony for these trains. Due to work commitments, I couldn’t attend in person and could only watch via online livestream. Now, visitors can see four types of preserved original carriages at the “Station Rail Voyage” railway exhibition at Hung Hom Station: MLR standard class and first class cars, along with unrenovated “Yellow-Head” train standard class and first class/baggage composite cars. Additionally, two carriages repurposed as exhibition spaces can be viewed at the Wan Chai waterfront.
Epilogue
As a self-described rail enthusiast, rather than rushing to the front to “drink the first soup” or seeking out “special sightings,” I prefer to record events from an inconspicuous corner in the background. I often contemplate how much effort and negotiation various stakeholders put into planning, constructing, and operating what appears to be an ordinary railway line that we take for granted, all to provide convenience to the masses of passengers. Conversely, I wonder how an established railway line influences passengers’ travel choices and contributes to local development.
Since 1910, the East Rail Line and its predecessor, the Kowloon-Canton Railway, have stood firmly in place, with the route remaining largely unchanged for over a century. Before the New Town Development Plan began in the 1970s, the Kowloon-Canton Railway mostly passed through villages and farmland. After development, nearly every station on today’s East Rail Line (except for the two border crossing stations near Shenzhen) has become surrounded by highly integrated commercial, residential, and transportation complexes. With cross-border passenger flow continuing to surge and the Hong Kong government actively developing the Northern District, this north-south trunk line will inevitably become more crowded and play an even more crucial role.
I hope I will still have the opportunity to witness everything that follows.
Glossary of Terms
- East Rail Line: A heavy rail line in Hong Kong. It runs from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations in the north (adjacent to Shenzhen) to Admiralty station on Hong Kong Island in the south.
- Sha Tin to Central Link (SCL): The project name for the Tuen Ma Line and East Rail Line cross-harbor extension, meaning “Sha Tin to Central Link.”
- Through Train: A passenger train service operating between mainland China and Hung Hom Station in Hong Kong. The service began in the 1910s when the Kowloon-Canton Railway (now the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Railway and East Rail Line) first opened. Service was restored in 1979 following post-war interruptions, operated until 2020 when it was temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was effectively cancelled in 2024 due to the closure of various railway border checkpoints and control points.
- SP1900: A train model that formerly served on the East Rail Line, manufactured by Japan’s Kinki Sharyo and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. It entered service in 2001 and was transferred from the East Rail Line in 2021, after which it was modified for service on the Tuen Ma Line.
- R-Train: The current train model on the East Rail Line. It is currently the only passenger train model on the East Rail Line, manufactured by Hyundai Rotem of South Korea. The name “R-Train” is derived from the manufacturer’s name.
- MLR: Mid-Life Refurbishment Train. A passenger train that was once active on the East Rail Line, refurbished and reconfigured from the “Yellow-Head” trains. This model was fully retired on May 6, 2022.
- Yellow-Head: Metro Cammell EMU trains, nicknamed for their yellow-painted fronts. These trains were manufactured by Metro Cammell of the UK in the 1980s-1990s and entered service during that period. In the 2000s, they were refurbished and reconfigured into MLR trains.
- Special Sighting: A term used by Hong Kong bus enthusiasts, abbreviated from “Special Observation.” It refers to bus models that are not supposed to or rarely seen operating on particular routes but are spotted doing so.
