The Kowloon-Canton Railway opened in 1910 in Tai Po Market was one of the stops in the New Territories. The station building was erected in 1913. Since then, it acted as a centre of administration and trade which indirectly boosted Tai Po Market's economy by bringing traders there. The Kowloon-Canton Railway was electrified in 1983 and the station was taken out of service, with the opening of the new Tai Wo station north of it and the new Tai Po Market station south of it. One year later, the Old Tai Po Market Railway Station was declared a monument. The site, together with the buildings and relevant exhibits, were then given to Regional Council by the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation for the construction of the Museum.
Architecture
The building of the station is unique in the way of architectural style among original Kowloon-Canton Railway. It is of indigenous Chinese architectural style, with many small figures decorating the exterior, such as are commonly found in existing old southern Chinese temples.
Exhibits
Inside the museum
On the left of the museum, there is an exhibition room of train tickets and train models of not only KCR trains but also Japanese Shinkansen and Eurostar. The further internal part of the room is a refurbished ticket office and signalling house.
EMD G12Diesel-electric locomotive #51, introduced in Hong Kong in 1955, which is called "Sir Alexander", named after former Governor Alexander Grantham. This was the first diesel electric locomotive in Hong Kong and marked KCR's transition from steam to diesel. After a new batch of diesel locomotives arrived in Hong Kong in late 2003, the Sir Alexander was retired from service. KCR Corporation staff spent more than 1000 hours restoring it to its original 1955 appearance, removing rust, repainting it dark green, and restoring the traditional logo. It was donated to the museum on 18 May 2004.
A W. G. Bagnall 0-4-4PT narrow gaugesteam locomotive, restored from the Philippines in 1995. The locomotive is one of two that formerly ran on the narrow gauge Sha Tau Kok Railway line between Fanling and Sha Tau Kok. When that closed, they were used by sugar mills in the Philippines. The other locomotive of the pair was also brought back to Hong Kong and is reported to be undergoing restoration.
There are seven coaches on the tracks for public viewing and appreciation of the contrast between the old and the new.
A 1911 third-class coach, #302
A 1921 engineering brake coach, #002
A 1921 third-class coach, #313
A 1955 third-class coach, #223
A 1955 luggage coach, #229
A 1964 first-class coach, #112
A 1976 ordinary-class coach, #276
There are also a pump trolley and a diesel-engined railcar. A 1:1 scale model of a non-refurbished East Rail line Metro Cammell EMU was once on display at the Museum, but was removed to make space for locomotive #51.
