Central, Banks from Cricket Ground | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Central, Banks from Cricket Ground

Central, Banks from Cricket Ground
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I think that the fares were 20 cents upstairs and 10 cents downstairs.  Before the days of the MTR, and apart from taxis, the trams probably provided the quickest way of getting from Shau Kei Wan to Central.  The seats were made of slatted wood and the roofs were not always watertight during heavy rain. - but then as now they were a great way of seeing the bustling street life as you trundled along.  The only part of the journey where you held your breath was when the trams inched across the bridge over the very smelly Bowrington canal.  It's now covered over between Canal Streets East and West and is probably very clean.

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Wednesday, January 1, 1958
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The photo shows the old Chartered Bank Buidling being demolished. Interesting to note that the tram islands for passenger boarding/alighting have yet to be constructed. The temporary government buildings in Statue Square adjacent to the Supreme Court as seen here have been removed.

I think I can see metal beams at the Chartered Bank site. They look very similar to these in Andrew's later photo, suggesting it is the new building under construction:

Central, Banks from Star Ferry car park
Central, Banks from Star Ferry car park, by Andrew Suddaby

 

Agreed. The old building protruded out onto the pavement.

1950s Banks in Central