New Territories, approaching Hin Tin | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

New Territories, approaching Hin Tin

New Territories, approaching Hin Tin
Authors: 

From train approaching Hin Tin after leaving tunnel.

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Wednesday, January 1, 1958

Comments

Thanks Andrew, I view your photos with interest as they were taken about the same time I started the occasional hiking to Shatin.  I wonder if this was taken from your train while approaching Shatin after leaving the tunnel?  The house on the foreground and the water paddies, I seem to recall - oh, so long time ago.  Google maps took me to Hing Tin somewhere east of the Kai Tak airport.  Regards.

As you say - it was a long time ago.  Yes, I'm fairly certain that the train had just left the tunnel on its way to the border.

Andrew

Hi Andrew, the village near the north end of the Beacon Hill Tunnel is called Hin Tin without the g.

Regards, David

Thanks, David.  I'll alter the spelling. Andrew

 

This photo, like many others here, reminds me of the HK-Kowloon landscape long time ago. The train was the only sound that broke the tranquillity of the unobstructed landscape all the way to the distant water.  This house caught my attention as it was by the track, its garden layout and the flooded paddies. The retaining wall must have been built recently.  Thank you David and Andrew for confirming my memories.  Then, it was possible to stand at the very end of the train to get the rear view.  The tunnel opening got smaller and smaller to become a tiny bright dot, then disappeared on the horizon about the moment my train exiting the tunnel on Kowloon side.  Regards,  Peter

Update Feb 13, 2022:

I think I have identified the exact location of this house. Referring to other photos and maps, the start of the former uncovered (visible) nullah is short distance (est. a minute's walk) north of the current traffic circle, and the house in this photo is a short distance further to the north where the current MTR Hin Keng Station is located.  Andrew, this was likely the first photo you took after coming out of the train tunnel.  The 1963 air photo gives us enough information to identify this site.

Hing Tin (1) House 1958
Hing Tin (1) House 1958, by OldTimer


 

Hin Tin (2) House 1973
Hin Tin (2) House 1973, by OldTimer


Hing Tin (3) house 1963
Hing Tin (3) house 1963, by OldTimer

 

 

Hin Tin (4) Nullah -1958
Hin Tin (4) Nullah -1958, by OldTimer

Thank you Peter for confirming where I took the photograph - another excellent piece of detective work.  Andrew

Often travelled on that train between 1960 and 1963. 
Imagine my horror when I returned to HK recently and saw the new view as the train left the tunnel!!