Hung Hom station

Former Hung Hom station

An old Hung Hom station existed on Chatham Road South before the relocation of then-Kowloon station in 1975. It was situated next to the former coastline of Hung Hom Bay, at the southeastern corner of the Gun Club Hill Barracks (between the current-day Chung Sze Yuen Building A of Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Hong Kong History Museum).

This old Hung Hom station, a temporary wooden structure, began operation from the first day of Kowloon–Canton railway on 1 October 1910^[1] to 15 September 1921,^[2] but was later demolished.

Relocation of Kowloon station

The old Kowloon station in Tsim Sha Tsui began operation in 1910. After decades of economic growth in Hong Kong, the station, situated at the seafront of Victoria Harbour, became too small and had no room for expansion. A new Kowloon station (the current Hung Hom station), situated to the east, was officially inaugurated by Chief Secretary Denys Roberts on 24 November 1975 as the new terminus of the Kowloon–Canton Railway. However, it did not start operating until a few days later. The old terminal at Tsim Sha Tsui was closed on 29 November 1975. The first passenger train pulled out of the new station the following morning at 8:26 am. On 5 May 1975, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a plaque commemorating the opening of the new terminal.^[3] The new station cost HK$150 million and offered modern new facilities including a spacious waiting hall, a restaurant, a bar, a bookstore, a bank, escalators, and closed circuit television. It was built along with a bus terminus and a multi-storey car park.^[3]

The controversial demolition of the old station commenced on 7 June 1978;^[4] a new complex of a concert hall and museums were built on Kowloon Station's original site, but the clock tower was preserved as a Declared Monument.

Renaming and expansion

The new station was renamed Hung Hom Station around February or March 1996.^[5] The Kowloon-Canton Railway was renamed KCR East Rail in 1996, and subsequently the East Rail line upon the merger of MTRC (metro services) and KCRC (suburban train services) in December 2007.

A HK$1.3 billion expansion of Hung Hom Station began on 16 March 1995, which included a new concourse designed by Foster and Partners.^[6] The expansion was completed in 1998. The passenger terminal now hosts ticket offices, waiting areas, shops and restaurants.

After decades of being the terminus station of the East Rail Line, Hung Hom temporarily became an intermediate station when the East Rail was extended to East Tsim Sha Tsui station in 2004. This symbolic return to Tsim Sha Tsui of the then-Kowloon–Canton railway was followed by the inauguration of a westward Kowloon Southern Link to complete the West Rail line. On 16 August 2009, East Tsim Sha Tsui was transferred to the West Rail line. Hung Hom regained its status of terminus station, now of both railways.

Background

Currently an interchange station between the West Rail line and East Rail line, Hung Hom station will become an intermediate stop on the Sha Tin to Central Link, a suburban railway line connecting Sha Tin to Hong Kong Island.

Under the North South Corridor concept, the East Rail line is currently being extended to Hong Kong Island via a new immersed tube tunnel south of the station. At the same time, the West Rail line is being extended to connect with the Ma On Shan line via East Kowloon, forming a new "Tuen Ma line".

To facilitate this expansion, new metro platforms are being built underneath the Hung Hom Station Exit C concourse. The Tuen Ma Line platforms will sit above the East Rail Line platforms. New approach tracks have also been built north and south of the station.

Construction safety scandal

In 2018, a major scandal emerged regarding construction malpractice at the Hung Hom Station construction site. In 2015, contractors building the concrete slab forming the Tuen Ma Line platform level reportedly cut off the ends of reinforcing bars that were supposed to be screwed into couplers within the diaphragm wall forming the side of the underground station box. The contractor then poured the concrete even though the bars were not connected to the couplers. As a result, engineers have cast doubt on the long-term structural safety of the slab.^[7]

The government has demanded that MTR Corporation submit a report on the safety of the station. An independent engineer, C M Wong & Associates Ltd., will conduct safety tests.^[8] On 12 June 2018, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced that she will appoint a commission on inquiry, headed by Hong Kong judge Michael Hartmann, to investigate the scandal.^[9]