RTHK presenters aim to break MTR station record for Operation Santa

Two RTHK Radio 3 presenters will attempt to set a world record today by travelling through all 84 MTR stations in nine hours and at the same time raising funds for Operation Santa Claus.

MTR staff volunteered to help Tim Littlechild and Chantel Shafie plan their route, and the company is also holding a railway heritage auction to boost donations for the charity campaign.

The silent online auction being run from the MTR Facebook page started on December 23 and will close tomorrow.

The auction features three items of particular interest to those who want a real piece of Hong Kong's railway history - an axle bearing, two pieces of rail track and three Pandrol clips.

The steel bearings fitted onto each end of MTR train wheels' axles hold the axle in place so that the wheels turn smoothly. The one put up for the auction was retired in 2006 after running for two million kilometres.

The two pieces of rail section - one 8mm thick and one 10mm thick - were used on the Island line section between Heng Fa Chuen and Shau Kei Wan stations between 1985 and 2013. They were produced in Britain and retired in November.