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Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong: The tram's fans

  • threefortheride
  • May 19, 2016
  • 5 min read

Two weeks aren’t quite long enough to wrap one’s head around Hong Kong’s complexity. At a first glance, Hong Kong is a futuristic metropolis where one navigates from luxurious malls to trendy restaurants up to 400 meters in the air. But hidden beyond the main avenues lies a city full of culture and history.


Hong Kong’s tramway embodies this complexity. The fleet of double decker trams that grace the northern part of the main island since 1904 are a living legacy of the past. The challenge for Hong Kong Tramways is to ensure that this world-famous icon of the city remains its cheapest, greenest, most pleasant and most efficient mode of transport on the island.


Judging by the number of likes on the many Facebook pages dedicated to the tramway, it’s been a success!


Three For The Ride had the opportunity to meet three tramway fans. Three very different characters, with one common passion for the Ding Ding and a growing influence in the Hong Kong community.




​Joseph Tse, the archivist


“The TramOramic, launched in January, bears the vehicle number 68. Hong Kong Tramways already operates more than 160 trams. Can you tell me where the original 68 has gone? “


Hop on board, Joseph’s interview has started! Each vehicle has its own number, its own identity, its own soul. For Joseph, who studied history in college, it is important to keep track of each tram’s past story, present transformations and future uses.


The answer to the aforementioned question: “The TramOramic was numbered 68 because in Chinese culture, the 8 is a lucky number, especially for business. The 6 represents continuity. The old tram 68 was actually renumbered to make way for the TramOramic. “


These are the questions that fuel Joseph’s passion, whose oldest memories of the tram date back to his childhood, when its “ding, ding! “ would wake him up every morning. At first fascinated by the advertisements on the trams, he then started noticing the differences between tram models, which have been through 7 generations of changes, and decided to trace each vehicle thanks to its number. Nowadays, Joseph spends entire days taking pictures of the trams at the end of the line in Western Market. He especially loves number coincidences, like the time he snapped a shot of tram 88 and 87 side by side.


For him, Hong Kong’s trams aren’t just a passion. Joseph feels that his mission is to share his knowledge on the city’s icon and thus preserve its history. A mission that he is already fulfilling with the publication of his first book about the tram’s history. His work continues on Facebook, where he shares his passion with a community of more than 12,000 followers on the page Amazing Ding Ding.

Eric Lee, the entrepreneur


“My dream tram for Hong Kong? A coffee tram. I would like people to support the tramway’s transformation rather than its history.“ Eric Lee loves the tram, its authenticity, its past. But he supports its modernization and appreciates Hong Kong Tramways’ continuous efforts to keep the Ding Ding pleasant, efficient and practical : “The latest generation of trams is more comfortable and functional. I am impatiently waiting for the air-conditioned tram to start running!“


His attachment to the tram is also anchored in his childhood. Whenever he would get upset, his mother would take him to the closest tram station to listen to the tram’s “ding, ding!“. As a teenager, he realized that there were no books on Hong Kong’s tramway and dedicated his free time to browsing history books and news articles at the library, looking for precious information. SInce then, he’s written three books on the subject, started a forum for enthusiasts on internet and created a Facebook Page, Hong Kong Trams Enthusiasts, followed by 21,700 people.


Eric’s investment goes beyond his publications. The entrepreneur has also launched a line of tram souvenirs: TramRic. Part of them are sold in his shop in Victoria Peak, one of Hong Kong’s biggest tourist attractions. This amazing success story linked to the tram is yet to be over: “It’s about time the tram have its own museum!“



Alan Cheung, the collector

“One of my friends recently showed me a blurry screenshot of a snapshot of the tram found on the internet. I had never seen that picture before. I know no one else has it. This is the object that I am looking for. “ Alan Cheung’s collection is huge, but there are always new treasures to uncover. Started in 1988, his collection is mainly made up of antique postcards and tram tickets.

It’s a costly passion, as there are less and less objects available on the internet, which raises bids in online auctions “I can recall an auction on eBay where a postcard of the tram was finally bought for 22,000 Hong Kong Dollars (€2,520).“ Of course, Alan can spot ridiculous prices and sometimes lets the new generation of tram enthusiasts make the prices escalate between each other.

A stamp collector as a child, a tram collector since thirty years, Alan is now the vice-president of the Hong Kong Collectors’ Society. His methods are unchanged: trading between collectors, “treasure hunting“ amongst the tram fan internet community ans online auctions.

His postcards can be admired in his most recent book, soon to be available in English.




Joseph, Eric and Alan share a taste for collecting treasures and a huge passion for Hong Kong’s tramway. With three very different styles, they keep the international community of tram fans on their toes day-to-day. For Hong Kong Tramways, this community is a priceless support, that has proved its worth numerous times as a communication means as well as a source of information of the tramway, its secrets and its story.




The TramOramic, a collaboration between the tram fans and Hong Kong Tramways



  • Eric Lee shared his knowledge with the teams to create the recorded guided tour, took part in designing the tram and lent part of his collection for the tram’s mini-museum. He also found precious drawings in his archives that inspired the TramOramic’s logo and chronological plates.


The TramOramic’s logo – The mini-museum – The chronological plates illustrating the tram’s seven generations –

The audio guide, available in 8 languages


  • Alan Cheung graciously gave Hong Kong Tramways 20 pictures from his personal collection to illustrate ‘’Hong Kong today and from the past’’, and took part in designing the interior of the tram.


Historic pictures, only available to the public in the TramOramic – The tram’s interior design is authentic

  • Jospeh Tse worked on choosing the TramOramic’s vehicle number, and lent part of his collection for the tram’s mini-museum.


The TramOramic today vs. the tram in the 1920s




 
 
 

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