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Route Twisk [1953- ]
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Date Place completed:
1953-05-01 I've just found out where the name of this road came from. I'd always assumed it was named after someone in the Army, given that's who built it. It turns out to be much simpler - the road was built between Tsuen Wan and Sek Kong. Add an 'I' in the middle, and there you have it!
More about the road from this 1957 article, kindly supplied by Bryan Panter. Bryan was stationed in Sek Kong at around the same time as Fred Evans. Anyone stationed there will have no trouble remembering this route into Kowloon and the bright lights!
(Click the thumbnail to see a larger copy you can zoom in to and read the text)
Photos that show this place
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Comments
I for Into
I believe the "I" comes from Tsuen Wan Into Sek Kong. At least that's what I heard.
twisk
Remember it well used to travel from LSW to Sekong over the twisk then return by coast road stopping at Dairy Farm for an icecream.
Seem to remember around 1953-55 time a Journalist was killed when vehicle went over the side it was quite a good road but a bit dodgy remember excellent view of Sekong and chinese border from the top.
Harry
twisk
great article
my late father did his military service in hong kong 52-54 stationed in sek kong when twisk was being built. he also subscribed to the view of the writer of the article that TWSK was impossible to say, so a vowel was thrown in for good measure to make it into a word recognisable, and indeed pronounceable,un by english speakers. i remember going up via tsuen wan in the late sixties, on the right hand side was a massive shanty town - from there i learned the cantonese word muk nguk or muk uk to describe those dwellings. fortunately things have moved on since :)
TWISK
I lived at 106 Sek Kong Village from 1986-1993, the first house as you come down the other side from Route Twisk into Sek Kong. These officer's houses (my father was one) were abandoned after we left, and still stand exactly the same as the day we moved out. I visited last month to find the door to my old house open, and ventured inside to find it as it was when we left. Our old bed frames are still there and a packet of my old air rifle pellets still sits on the windowsill!
There are four houses there, all unoccupied, with PLA officers having moved into the swankier houses just down the road across the small bailey bridge.
I was told then that TWISK was named after a Major Twisk, but having never come across this name since then, I think it more likely that the name comes from the two places it links - Tsuen Wan Into Sek Kong.
Twisk
My Father said that the "I" was for "intersection" rather than Into or Interconnect, but putting an "I" into it to make it pronouncable makes perfect sense.
I remember going out to Sek Kong to see Kart racing and an airshow in the early 70's. That's a great road as I remember it.
Route Twisk
I had to laugh here as for years I thought it was TWIST becos of all the bends- It was a fave ride with our biker boy friends.
Route Twisk
It's great hearing your stories of Twisk (& Twist!). I don't think I've ever been right along it, but I've done the first half from Tsuen Wan several times, catching the bus up to where the Maclehose Trail crosses the road.
The article says that originally the road was closed to civilians, which I didn't realise. Any memories of when it was opened up? It was probably a big deal at the time, but with all the extra highways and tunnels built since then it's a very quiet road these days.
twisk
when you reached the top of the twisk there was a t-junction where a road ascended right to the peak of tai mo shan and the army post there. that tranche was off limits. anyway you still had breathtaking rural views across the fields through those little villages and into china. there was a little car park and a pagoda at the side of the road so you could stop and take in the scenery
Route Twisk
Back in the 1950s, as far as I understand, Route TWISK was a military road constructed by the Royal Engineers to provide a quicker route between the foothills and the military facilities at Tai Mo Shan, Sek Kong and beyond.
To relieve pressure on the Castle Peak and Tai Po Roads, the Government negotiated with the mlitary authorities for the road to be opened up to civilian traffic. I recall reading about the opening but this did not happen until the 1960s.
twisk
In the 1950's the twisk was purely for military traffic no civilian vehivles were allowed
Route Twisk
I seem to have the feeling that the acronym stands for Tsuen Wan INTERCHANGE Sek Kong
Route Twisk
Shortly after I arrived in Hong Kong I was told that the Route Twisk was supposed to have been paved to a certain width thoughout its length. It was only after it was completed (and the contractor paid) that it was discovered to be one foot (?) narrower than the specification! Needless to say, the contractor was no longer available to answer any questions!