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Andrew Sheets

As the MTR Corporation feels the heat over awarding a HK$6 billion contract to the mainland outfit that built defective subway trains for Singapore, we take a ride back in time with the trusty Hong Kong tram, which celebrates its 112th anniversary on July 31.
Hong Kong tram operator gets right on track, sharing real-time data on Citymapper app

The very first issue of the South China Morning Post, published on November 6, 1903, an­nounced that tracks had been laid between Kennedy Town and Shau Kei Wan, adding “it is highly prob­able that the rickshaw will be forsaken for the tramcar”.
Cool ride: Hong Kong tram operator offers air-conditioned car
Early Post journalists, eager to report on the coming comforts of home, found the Chinese response to such “civilised” tech­no­logies a little too amusing.
“Ah Sam, what ting belong dis? No makee pull, no makee pushee, how fashun can makee run” (pidgin for “What is it? Nothing pushes or pulls it, how does it run?”), began the July 4, 1904 coverage of the first trial run. The article detailed the bewilderment of Chinese specta­tors who “squatted on the ground after the car had passed and looked at the spark that flew out under the car, trying to solve the mystery”.

The writer also specu­lated on how difficult it must have been for the Chinese conductors to learn the European names for all the parts of the tram and master “the gentle art of jumping from a moving car”.
The amusement continued with the tram’s first inspection. “The natives at Shau Kei Wan and along the route taken by the car were greatly astonished with this thing that moved along apparently of its own accord,” reported the Post on July 21, 1904.
Ding ding! Portuguese artist transforms Hong Kong tram into ‘Debris’ for a moving art experience
Just two days later the joke was wearing thin when, after a trial run for the press, the Post reported: “Naturally, our aristocratic suburban neighbours in the Shau-ki-wan vicinity made much to do about the appear­ance of these yellow toast-racks that ran along without being pushed or pulled.”
Fortunately, these days sarcasm is reserved for certain sections of the paper, such as the cartoon strips and Post Magazine.


Yau Yiu-wai, fifth-gen owner of a Hong Kong umbrella store, on shutting shop despite his lifelong obsession

In pictures: how Hong Kong celebrated Christmas from the 1970s to 90s

In pictures: what are Hong Kong’s most beloved winter foods? Snapshots from the 1970s to 2000s

When Hong Kong’s young women made headlines for their looks at a debutante show

Old Hong Kong

How this paper’s early journalists sneered at Hong Kong Chinese

When we were ugly: South China Morning Post took a sarcastic tone in 1903 reports about the city’s first trams

Tram at Des Voeux Road C. - near old General Post Office (now Worldwide House) C.1930s. **** This photo was licensed for one time use only. PLEASE CLEAR THE COPYRIGHTS WITH THE OWNER BEFORE REPUBLISHING THIS IMAGE.****

A three cent, third-class ticket was introduced in 1939 to lure more workers aboard.

This article, dated November 06, 1903, fromm the South China Morning post, has the headline The New Tramway Ready for the races. [31JULY2016 POST MAGAZINE]

First- and second-generation trams on Arsenal Street, Admiralty in 1910.

Magazines

PostMag

When we were ugly: South China Morning Post took a sarcastic tone in 1903 reports about the city’s first trams


From our archives

How this paper’s early journalists sneered at Hong Kong Chinese

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}When we were ugly: South China Morning Post took a sarcastic tone in 1903 reports about the city’s first trams

When we were ugly: South China Morning Post took a sarcastic tone in 1903 reports about the city’s first trams