Guangzhou, HK services delayed by stalled train
Rail services between Guangzhou and Hong Kong were delayed for 90 minutes yesterday after a mainland train broke down near Dongguan , blocking southbound services.
The incident was the second in 10 days preventing intercity through-train services running smoothly.
Rail services between Guangzhou and Hong Kong were suspended for four hours on December 8 for what authorities said was emergency track work on the mainland section.
Six services - four Guangzhou-bound and two Kowloon-bound - were cancelled.
The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation came under fire from disgruntled passengers who were stranded at Hung Hom.
Yesterday, seven services - four Kowloon-bound and three Guangzhou-bound - were delayed because of the train breakdown.
KCRC officials said staff had explained the cause of the delay to passengers at Hung Hom station, but the company did not have a figure for the number of passengers affected.
The stalled train was removed at 4.30pm and services had resumed gradually by the evening.
A KCRC spokeswoman said the Guangzhou-bound services were delayed because they used the same carriages as the Kowloon-bound trains.
'The [Kowloon-bound] trains could not arrive on time due to the blocked track. Therefore, the Guangzhou-bound trains could not depart as scheduled,' the spokeswoman said.
The company said a Kowloon-bound train numbered T803 had been worst affected. It was scheduled to arrive at Hung Hom at 4.25pm, but reached the station at about 6pm.
Due to the delayed services, more than 2,000 people were stranded yesterday at Guangzhou East Station.
Stranded passengers described the scene at the station as chaotic.
