Around 100 lucky children from Hong Kong enjoyed a different kind of train ride this week.
They were inside an MTR train when it went through the automatic train wash plant at Kowloon Bay Depot and with water and scrub brushes coming down on the train windows, a chorus of “wows” erupted from inside the carriage.
The children were guests of Mr Jay Walder, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation and staff volunteers from the Corporation’s “More Time Reaching the Community” Scheme at a special Depot Open Day.
A number of smart yellow engineering vehicles and passenger trains were displayed, including new vehicle trains that had been purchased as part of the £300m+ (HK$4 billion) the MTR Corporation spends each year on maintenance and equipment upgrades.
The children were excited at the rare opportunity to take pictures with the trains.
“The yellow engineering vehicles are so big and full of gadgets!” said ten-year-old Paul Lee.
“The unimog is like something out of the Transformers.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen inside the front driving cab where the train driver sits. It’s very different to where we sit. I think it would be neat to see the tunnel like the train driver,” said ten-year-old Audrey Soo.
“It’s great to be able to give children the opportunity to look behind-the-scenes so they can see how the railway works,” said Mr Walder.
“I must also thank our staff volunteers who gave up their personal time to make today’s visit possible.
“MTR is an important part of the community and it is heart-warming to see the children’s excitement and happy faces at events such as these.”
More than 750 MTR Club members and their companions were also invited to join the Depot Open Day for a behind-the scenes glimpse into MTR operations.
