One of the world’s oldest funicular railways, the Peak Tram is just as much a tourist destination as the spot it was built to service, Hong Kong’s Victoria Peak. The Peak Tram Upgrade Project is now under way for the next six months. Winkle-picker is proud to have been involved producing the Interpretive Plan that will help inform elements of the renovation of the terminus.
Government approval was granted in 1882 and the Hong Kong High Level Tramways Company was born. Construction began in September 1885 and the line was officially opened in May 1888 by Governor Sir George William des Voeux. The steam boilers were replaced by an electrically powered system in 1926. Then, in 1956, new generation lightweight metal-bodied carriages seating 62 people replaced the old wooden carriages.
In 1989, the Peak Tram was rebuilt with new tracks, a computerised control system and two new carriages with a capacity of 120 passengers. By 1997, the Peak Tram was carrying two million passengers a year and pre-Covid-19 numbers were up to four million. The Peak Tram Upgrade Project, expected to take around six months, will see the introduction of a longer carriage increasing the capacity from 120 to 210. Power and towing systems will be upgraded, and cables and rails replaced, as well as an enhanced waiting experience for passengers in which Winkle-picker was involved.