Clock Tower of KCR Terminus [????- ] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong
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Clock Tower of KCR Terminus [????- ]

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Submitted by philk on Fri, 2008-10-17 20:13
Current condition: 
In use

Obviously back in 1952, when Booth first arrived in HK, the impressive terminus building was still standing.

Tags: 
golden boy
chapter 1
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Photos that show this place

1916
1918
1920
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Submitted by Admin on Sat, 2008-10-25 22:09.
1950s TST Kowloon Star-Ferry

Submitted by philk on Sat, 2008-10-25 22:32.
Judging by this photo, the Signal Tower on Signal Hill was indeed visible from the Pen. You can see it on the far right of the photo. The Sheraton amongst other buildings, mean this line of sight is no longer available.

Submitted by Admin on Thu, 2008-11-13 22:07.

Andrew Suddaby has kindly sent us these views of the booking office, platform, and trains:

Kowloon station concourse
Kowloon station platform

 

Kowloon station on board the train
Kowloon station on board the train

Submitted by philk on Fri, 2008-11-14 08:06.
For anyone who hasn't made it out to the back of beyond in Tai Po. The Railway Museum, which occupies the plot of land which was formerly Tai Po station, has some old carriages on display which include a first class carriage from the 50's. Phil

Submitted by tngan on Tue, 2008-11-18 17:26.

Hi there,

There used to be a Bell in the Clock Tower.  When the Hung Hom Terminus was inaugurated it had been on displayed for a while.  I have an impression that it was moved to the Shatin Station/New Towm Plaza mall when the New Town Plaza opened.

A few years ago, I saw the bell on display in the lower level of the replica of the Repulse Bay Hotel.  Don't know if it is still there now.  There is a Chinese entry in Wiki's saying the Bell is currently in MTR's Ho Tung Lau depot, however.   I'll try to confirm the next time I'm in Repulse Bay.

Best Regards,

T

Submitted by Ho Lim-peng (not verified) on Sun, 2010-06-20 23:42.

There was, believe it or not, a government dental surgery in the upper part of the tower during the 1970s.

Submitted by David on Mon, 2010-06-21 22:16.

That's an interesting story. Was that when the rest of the station building was still standing?

I wonder if they timed the most painful extractions to coincide with the chimes of the clock, drowning out the screams!!

Submitted by Ho Lim-peng (not verified) on Fri, 2010-06-25 04:55.

Yes the dental surgery was there when the station was still functioning circa 1975, I don't know when it shut. 

Submitted by 80sKid on Fri, 2010-09-17 19:43.

  The bell from the Former Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui has returned home after 35 years. The relocation follows the donation of the bell by the Kowloon Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) and the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC) to the Government.

     Officiating at the relocation ceremony today (September 17), the Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, said, "For many, the bell may evoke very precious memories. It has served an important role as part of Hong Kong's public transport history."

     The bell was produced in the United Kingdom and arrived in Hong Kong in 1920. It began operation in the Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower in 1921 as part of the Tsim Sha Tsui railway terminus. It chimed round the clock at 15-minute intervals.

     In 1975, the bell ceased operation when the railway terminus was relocated to Hung Hom. It has been moved several times since then and had been on public display at railway stations in Hung Hom and Sha Tin until 1995, when it was moved to the Railway House in Fo Tan.

     Mrs Lam said the return of the bell enhanced the historical significance of the clock tower, which has been a declared monument since 1990.  She thanked KCRC and MTRC for making the relocation possible.  

     The donation of the bell also coincides with the 100th anniversary of Kowloon-Canton Railway services.

Ends/Friday, September 17, 2010

Submitted by David on Sun, 2010-09-19 13:59.

80skid, thanks for the update. Does anyone know if the bell will just be located in the tower, or if it will start chiming again on the quarter-hour?

Regards, David

Submitted by David on Mon, 2020-10-19 12:24.

The 1915 document Report of the Public Works Committee on a Turret Clock for the Kowloon Railway Station describes the initial request for the clock in the station's clock tower, but that the committee postponed the purchase based on the Governor's suggestion: "as the Railway was still far from being a paying concern and as the clock would have to be paid for out of borrowed money, the matter should be deferred for the present."