On This Day | Hong Kong MTR’s Eastern Harbour Crossing opens in 1989 – from the SCMP archive
- On this day 35 years ago, the Eastern Harbour Crossing linking Quarry Bay to Kowloon East was opened to the public
This article was first published on August 5, 1989.
MTR link open half year early
The Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTR) opened its Eastern Harbour Crossing on August 5, 1989, six months ahead of schedule.
However, commuters on the new line linking Quarry Bay station to the Kwun Tong terminal will not be able to use the Lam Tin station yet.
The MTR said Lam Tin, the final stop on the Kowloon side of the line, would not start operation until August 9, 1989.
MTR spokeswoman Miranda Leung said the 19 staff manning the Lam Tin station needed further familiarisation with their new quarters.
“This could not be called a delay as we are still six months ahead of schedule,” Ms Leung said on August 4, 1989.
“The system is that far ahead of schedule and we are now only talking about a few days to have the station commissioned electrically and mechanically and familiarise our staff with it.”
The Deputy Inspector of Railways for Britain’s Department of Transport, Mr Alan Cooksey, in July 1989 expressed doubts about the system’s reliability and recommended that the opening be delayed.
