Have you ever wondered about the forgotten railways of Hong Kong? Shek Chung Kok was once a stop on a charming narrow-gauge railway. This railway, the Sha Tau Kok Railway, connected Fanling to Sha Tau Kok. It operated for a brief but significant period. Shek Chung Kok, along with Hung Leng, Wo Hang, and Sha Tau Kok itself, was one of the five stations along this 12-kilometer route. The journey took approximately 55 minutes. Imagine the leisurely pace of travel back then. The railway opened in 1912, offering a vital link to the then-remote Sha Tau Kok. However, progress has a way of changing things. With the construction of the Fanling to Sha Tau Kok Road in 1924, motor vehicles began to compete with the railway. Ultimately, the Sha Tau Kok Railway ceased operations in 1928, unable to keep up with the speed and convenience of road travel. Traces of the old railway, including some rails and a tunnel, are rumored to still exist, hidden amongst the dense foliage. Perhaps somewhere near Shek Chung Kok, remnants of this bygone era lie waiting to be rediscovered. The memory of the railway lives on. The area where the Sha Tau Kok terminus once stood is still referred to as “fo cha teu” (火車頭), meaning “train head” in local dialects. This name serves as a reminder of a time when the rhythmic chug of the train was a familiar sound in this area. Shek Chung Kok, though no longer a railway stop, holds a piece of this unique history.
Sai Wan Shan
Considering a hike today? Sai Wan Shan is calling us. Sai Wan Shan is a hill within Sai Kung East