RETURN TO LIST

Peak Tram System 
山頂纜車

1888, Streetscapes, Landscapes & Infrastructural Facilities 街貌、景觀及基礎建設

Garden Road
香港花園道

Popular among tourists, the Peak Tram is the earliest form of public transport in Hong Kong and the first cable funicular in Asia. Nonetheless the Peak Tram was not built for the public in the first place. During the early years of colonisation, the Peak was exclusive to Europeans as summer retreats and off-limits to local Chinese under the rule of Peak District Reservation Ordinance. Before the construction of the Peak Tram, there were only about 30 to 40 residences on the Peak. Reaching the Peak was wholly dependent on the use of sedan chairs and coolies. In 1888, businessmen F. B. Johnson, Findlay Smith (the founder of the Peak Hotel), David Sassoon and W. Kerfoot Hughes brought forth the development of the Peak Tram for the upper class to travel between the Peak and urban areas. The intermediate stations sparked construction of western mansions along the route. Lists of residence were posted at every station for coolies to communicate with passengers of the Peak Tram, so as to take them to their destinations with sedan chairs. Today, western mansions were replaced by modern houses. Ho Tung Garden, the Chinese mansion uniquely built on the Peak was also demolished. Along with the century-old tram rail, mountain trails and dozens of historic buildings, the Peak Tram is now one of the few living witnesses of the development of the Peak.

擠滿遊客的山頂纜車,是香港最早的公共交通工具,亦是亞洲第一條纜索鐵路。但大家有否想過,這所謂的公共交通,當初並不是為了廣大公眾而興建?殖民地成立之初,在「山頂區保留條例」的約束下,山頂是外國人的避暑山莊、華人止步的地方。有纜車以前,山頂已有三、四十戶居民,上山頂要靠轎和「咕喱」。1888年,商人奇利贊臣、芬梨史密夫(山頂酒店的創辦人)、大衛沙宣和嘉活曉士看準商機發展纜車,以接載來往市區及山頂的達官貴人。纜車設中途站,帶動沿途歐式大宅的發展。當時每個站均貼有居民名單,方便不通外語的咕喱和剛下纜車的乘客溝通,再用轎接他們到目的地,形成趣境。時至今天,那不平等條例早已廢除,歐式大宅十居八九已被現代豪宅取代,當年破格於山頂興建的中式大宅何東花園也已被移平,剩下能見證山頂發展史的,恐怕只有這條過百年的路軌及周邊山徑,以及所剩無幾的數十座歷史建築。

文:洪彬芬 (香港註冊建築師)
攝影:郭永義 (香港註冊建築師)

http://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/diva/art_hkac_detail.php?id=29059&page=3





RETURN TO LIST