Cable & Wireless Station, Hung Hom [c.1932-c.1967]

Hi there,

I believe we could refer to history of KCRC as well as the first Cross Harbour Tunnel for more information.  The radio stations were demolished way before the railway was diverted to Hung Hom and before the nework of flyovers to be used by the Cross Harbour Tunnel back then. 

That section of old Chatham Road does not exist anymore.  The section of Chatham Road had been widened and rebuilt.  Before the Hung Hom Terminus was built the railway turned a bit westward towards the present day location of Hong Kong Polytechnic University after exiting the short tunnel under Homantin.  It passed through their present day soccer field and swimming pool then went towards Tsimshatsui.

The old railway should ran west of the present day Hong Cheong Road flyover, with a live stock depot.  The depot was smelly at best, and smells really bad in a hot and windless day like sometime before last week.

Best Regards,

T

Thanks Thomas.

This photo, c.1949,  from IDJ shows the old layout of the area. The smaller patch of land I mentioned is visible, but it's not clear if there were aerial masts there.

Hello there. 

The station first appeared in 1932 in the Blue Book, p.548 (Ze 6) (http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkgro/view/b1932/51932041.pdf), marked as under construction. If I am not mistaken, Radio Hong Kong (English ZBW and Chinese ZEK medium wave services) transmit through this Cable & Wireless station from 1932 until 1966/67, which corresponds to 'No. 25: ZBW Broadcasting Station, junction of Chatham Road and Gascoigne Road' on the Kowloon Peninsula on the 1945 map (https://gwulo.com/node/38765#11/22.3200/114.1700/Map_by_ESRI-Markers/100). 

The 1954-55 Annual Departmental Report of RHK [available at The Chinese University] said the New Territories and the south of Hong Kong Island had poor reception, the latter due to 'intervening high ground'. It also noted that: 

'As long as the transmitters are in the present position, i.e. sea level, there is probably little more that can be done to improve the Colony coverage. However, during a survey by the Colonial Office Broadcasting Advisory Engineers, Mr. W. A. Roberts in June, Cable and Wireless engineers cooperated in tests to assess the value of re-siting transmitters on higher ground which gave encouraging results.' 

As for why Cable & Wireless was involved: the company was nationalised by the British government, and the government could certainly use their resources for its own station. Later in 1950, RHK engineering works were outsourced to Cable & Wireless, accoring to RTHK - 50 years: Broadcasting in Hong Kong from 1928-1978. 

I am not sure about the exact time of its demolition, but RHK's 1965-66 Annual Departmental Report should give some clues: 

'As long ago as 1953 it was recognized that the development of Hung Hom area would probably result in the need to remove the medium wave station to a new site... However, the announcement of the proposed construction of a cross harbour tunnel between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon has created a sense of immediacy since the access roads are due to pass very close to the existing transmitting station. [...] The Hung Hom site must be vacated by December, 1967 at the latest.'

Hope that helps.