Kwun Tong Line - History

History

The Kwun Tong Line was the first MTR line to enter service, and was a crucial part of the MTR "Modified Initial System". Its construction was approved in November 1975.

On 1 October 1979 service commenced on the Kwun Tong Line. The line ran between Shek Kip Mei station and Kwun Tong station, and each train consisted of four cars.

With extensions to the south, the line reached Tsim Sha Tsui on 31 December 1979, and a year later on 12 December 1980 it reached first Central station (named Chater at the time), crossing the harbour for the first time.

When the Tsuen Wan Line started service in May 1982, it took over the section of the Kwun Tong Line south of Argyle (present-day Mong Kok). Waterloo (present-day Yau Ma Tei) station became the terminus of the Kwun Tong Line and both Argyle and Prince Edward stations became interchange stations with the new line.

When the Hong Kong government decided to build a second harbour crossing in 1984 (which would be known as the Eastern Harbour Crossing), it awarded a franchise for the construction of a mixed rail and road tunnel under the harbour.
The Kwun Tong Line was the rail line using that tunnel and on 6 August 1989, it was extended over the harbour again. This time the terminus was Quarry Bay, a transfer station with the Island Line. An intermediate station, Lam Tin, was opened on 1 October of the same year.

As part of the Tseung Kwan O Line project, Kwun Tong Line was briefly extended to North Point on 27 September 2001 but soon diverted to Tiu Keng Leng when the Tseung Kwan O Line opened in August, 2002. The diversion was done in two phases: Yau Tong interchange station was opened on 4 August 2002 such that Kwun Tong Line did not cross the harbour anymore. Two weeks later (18 August 2002) the Kwun Tong Line was extended to Tiu Keng Leng when the rest of the Tseung Kwan O Line commenced service.