Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/172

164 TWENTIETH CENTURY IMPRESSIONS OF HONGKONG, SHANGHAI, ETC. PLAN OF THE NEW LAW COURTS.

THE HONGKONG ELECTRIC TRAMWAY.

can boast of possessing the pioneer system of electric traction in China. It was, however, only six years ago, namely, in 1902, that the Ordinance was passed by the Legislative Council authorising the Hongkong Tramways Electric Company, an English company with its headquarters in London, to construct a line in the Colony. The work was commenced in May, 1903, and completed in July, 1904. The detailed plans and specifications were prepared by the Company's consulting engineers, Messrs. Alfred Dickinson & Co., of Birmingham, who appointed Mr. Harold Hackwood as resident engineer in charge of the construction. Messrs. Dick, Kerr & Co., of London, were the contractors. The total length of single track is 14) miles, and it is laid over 9^ miles of route. The gauge of the track is 3 feet 6 inches, with rails of the girder type weigh- ing 86 lb. per lineal yard. The lines within the city of Victoria are laid for the most part with centre pole construction, but the eastern p<jrtion of the route, being outside the city boundary, is laid as single line with passing places, and is equipped on the side pole system. With the exception of a short branch line, which runs to the Race Course, the route is parallel with the water-front, and but for a short length at Quarry Bay is practically level. At Quarry Bay a little road grading was done, the original gradient of one in ten being reduced to one in fifteen. Beyond Quarry Bay is the eastern terminus of the line, the small Chinese village of Shaukiwan. Owing to the varying nature of the ground, three forms of permanent-way construction were adopted. Where the ground was solid the rails were bedded on a concrete beam 18 inches wide and 6 inches deep ; where the ground was not so good, a bed of concrete 6 inclies deep and 7 feet 3 inches in width, extending under the whole track and for 1 foot 6 inches on either side was adopted ; over doubtful ground which had been recently reclaimed from the sea, this concrete bed was increased to 8 inches in depth. The overhead construction has been carried out in a very neat manner. The length of the arms on the side poles varies, being in most instances 6 feet, but on the centre poles it does not exceed 2 feet. The stan- dards are of mild steel, 28 feet 3 inches in length, 7 inches in diameter at the base, and tapering to 4 inches in diameter at the top. They are set 6 feet in the ground in a solid block of concrete. Within the city, the appearance of the standards is improved by ornamental base castings and by wrought-iron scrolls on the bracket arms. The trolley wire is divided into half-mile sections by means of section insulators, and at each of these points the main feeder cables are tapped for current. The pressure at the trolley wire is 500 volts. A lightning arrester and a telephone giving direct communica- tion with the power-house are provided in each feeder pillar. The generating station, situated beside the Bowrington Canal, is as nearly as possible in the centre of the system. The only fault which could be found with the site lay in the fact that a very few years ago it was reclaimed from the sea, and consequently no good foundation could be secured for either buildings or machinery. However, as it was the best site obtainable in all other respects, this difficulty had to he overcome, and sound foundations were obtained by driving in over five thousand piles. The depot com- prises engine-room and basement, boiler- house and coal store, car shed and machine- shop, smithy, paint-shop, carpenters' shop,