Hong Kong Tramways

For the British tramway enthusiast, Hong Kong has a special interest due to the extremely British nature of its tramcars, four-wheel double-deckers with a distinctly pre-war feel.

The history of the system by the late Peter Atkinson and Alan Williams has always been regarded as the definitive work on the subject, as it was researched from original company resources.

Newer books and researchers have frequently used it as a reference source.

But it was published over forty years ago, and a whole generation of enthusiasts has probably never seen a copy. Now authors Joseph Tse Yiu-hon in Hong Kong and John Prentice in London have collaborated to produce this new book to bring the story up to date.

Joseph Tse was born in Hong Kong, grew up with the line from the 1980s, and still lives there today.

John, who is Chairman of the Tramway & Light Railway Society has visited Hong Kong on several occasions, the first time in 1981, and has always considered it his favourite tramway of those currently operating.

He has followed its progress as well as possible from 8,000 miles away in the UK. Very little of the original 1970 text has been changed.

It is a comprehensive work and describing history as it does, needs no alteration.

The authors have, however, amended it as necessary to reflect the current status of Hong Kong and its tramway.

What they have done is write extra chapters and sections to fill the gap between 1970 and 2013.

In fact it is surprising how little has changed. The route is the same and the tramcars, although with a new generation of bodies, are still very like the ones that ran then, but the city certainly has changed around them.

Hong Kong is no longer a British Colony and whereas the tramway in parts had a sea view to one side, now land reclamation has taken that away, and most of the route is lined by the highest of skyscrapers.