Around 1,400 Hong Kong railway lovers and residents took a trip down memory lane on Saturday on a train redecorated in a retro style reminiscent of the city’s first-generation carriages from 1979.
Once the clock struck 10.45am, a horde of railway fans armed with cameras rushed into the train sporting a signature red stripe across its white front and vintage interiors at Choi Hung station.
The platforms and train were teeming with visitors who wove around the carriages snapping pictures of fixtures such as the ball-shaped hand straps, orange-yellow ceilings and amber lighting.
Many took along their prized train memorabilia, while parents brought their children for an educational outing to learn about the railway operator’s history.
For younger fans, the visit marked the first time they stepped into a train whose vintage design replicates the original carriages built by the British train manufacturer Metro-Cammell, which closed in 2005.
The design passed into history after the MTR Corporation modernised its trains between 1997 and 2001.
Felix Cheng, a 20-year-old railway fan, was one of the first to enter the train along with his friends.
He said he was not yet born when the first-generation carriages retired and was thrilled to experience what it was like commuting by train in the 1970s and 80s.
“We are so excited!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “We must cherish it!
“It has been 45 years since the first ‘white front’ train was commissioned in 1979. There is finally a ‘white front’ train displayed for railway fans to visit.”
After being displayed for about an hour, the train departed the station at 12pm to Tiu Keng Leng.
The train will run until the end of the year on some urban lines – the Kwun Tong, Island, Tseung Kwan O and Tsuen Wan lines – as part of a celebration drive for the MTR Corp’s 45th anniversary.
Oxygen Chan, 40, who works in the education sector, was doing a sketch of visitors.
“I am not a railway lover, but I would like to document the happiest moments experienced by the fans,” he said.
“I feel that I have returned to the golden age of Hong Kong when the atmosphere used to be very lively … Groups of people would swarm into the train very happily and joyfully.
“Such scenes are a rarity, with everyone boarding and looking tired while they await the start of their workdays.”
Alan Cheung Siu-man, a 55-year-old artist, brought an old newspaper clipping on the launch of the MTR’s service on October 1, 1979.
He said he and his dad took the first train that day and were captured in one of the photos of the news coverage.
“The most memorable items were the ball-shaped hand straps, which have already been retired. I used to play with them, even talking to them,” he said, referring to how the feature looked like a communication device.
Memorabilia collector Juston Tam was showcasing a display panel of an old MTR entry gate and signage from a first-generation carriage.
“I am very happy that the MTR Corp made an effort to refurbish the train,” he said.
“We always say we have to attract tourists. The response today is amazing. Old trains and cars can attract many enthusiasts from around the world.”
