A journey through history: the ups and downs of Hong Kong's beloved 110-year-old tram

Hong Kong tram is celebrating 110th anniversary this year. SCMP talks to local history enthusiast Cheng Po-hung and takes a look at the ups and downs in the history of the city's tram. Watch more videos like this go to www.scmp.com/video/scmp-originals

[@eddiekewl]

My heart melted when I watched this. I first took the tram in 1997. They haven’t changed since then and that’s what I love about them. Sitting upstairs at the front seats is just so relaxing and an excellent way to see Hong Kong island. Thanks for this.

[@canman5060]

Lots of majot cities in the world have abandoned tramways even as early as in the 1950's but Hong Kong, despite of it's extremely heavy traffic congestion, trams are allowed to run.

[@artcurious807]

Hopefully cities will start bringing them back. In places like Hiroshima they have very old trams from WW2 and modern trams ( in America we now call them street cars or light rail). A long time ago there were street cars in San Francisco but the auto industry paid to destroy them now all we have is traffic jams.

[@racecardriverrr4201]

@@artcurious807 Yes like Manchester in the UK got rid of them in the mid 40s but got them back in the 90s and they have really taken off in the past 10 years

[@vangrails]

HK's trams are excellent for people watching.

[@kiraoo5201]

My heart is in hong kong

[@clivellenshiu]

3:27, the corner building was my living place when I was 4, to 14.

[@masonloh1411]

Bring memories 1960's H.K. N. Point / Central / Wan Chai etc AAA+++

[@kamfaimichaelman8129]

20 cents! Was what I paid in the first time!

[@faimak848]

It's a fare for child in 1984.

[@claudelicemendonca4853]

1904s 1960s

[@fulendekobaaumausamimbungl8205]

सेवारो नमस्कार!
हङकङमा यो ट्राम गाडीले सेवा दिन थालेको ११६ बर्ष पछि आज म पनि चढेँ!
अथबा सन १९०४,
बि.सं.१९६३ साल देखि हङकङमा कुद्न थालेको यो ट्राम गाडी हङकङको एक ऐतिहासिक गाडी हो!
आउनुहोस आज तपाईं हरुलाई पनि म संगै यस्को सयर गराँउछु ल!
युट्युबमा पनि छ:-
ruclips.net/video/N86WSkuk5mo/видео.html

[@frankieleung2215]

Hong Kong after 1997 is no longer the same.

[@frankieleung2215]

@O For whom?

[@frankieleung2215]

@O Still better to be tortured by Chinese communists. At least the Hong Kong people preferred to live in colonial Hong Kong otherwise they would not have risked their lives to go to Hong Kong, a British colony. They can walk back to China and enjoy nationalism.

[@kamfaimichaelman8129]

Yes！ No longer the same!

[@aa123456789788]

@Remo Gaggi what? are u craze in Chinese communists?

[@ericluk68]

@Williams Jarmeoff you mean the Chinese Communist?

[@WingKai]

Discrimination was everywhere in the old days...

[@polo-kf6yh]

Segregation! !

[@billdang3953]

I was about to point this out, HK once upon a time had segregated trams, shades of Jim Crow!