Riding the peak tram to the Peak Tower, you can enjoy the scenery and historical buildings along the way. Let's take a look at the comparison of old and new photos of the Peak Tram and the Peak Tower.
The Peak Tram
While riding on the Peak Tram, one can feel like they are travelling through time, as it has a long and storied history of over 130 years. Upon arrival, it's apparent that the water pool at the original terminus has been removed and replaced with art installations, giving the tram station a modern touch. As soon as one boards the tram, the steep angle of the ride becomes apparent, and the entire journey takes around 8 to 10 minutes. The current Peak Tram in operation is the sixth generation, with the entire cabin made of glass, providing an unobstructed view of the trees and skyscrapers on both sides. As it nears the peak, passengers can enjoy a panoramic view of Victoria Harbour.
The Peak Tram is extremely modern, but the Peak Tram has been painted in a bespoke “Peak Tram Green”, and wooden chairs and furnishings are very nostalgic, placing you in a city where the old and new alternate. As you travel, you will wander between landscapes and buildings, where nature and urbanisation collide and blend, and you may even gaze upon people in buildings. As a traveller, you can gain a deep understanding of the city's appearance in an alternative and interesting way.
Some stations still retain the elegant 19th-century British architecture of the past. Among them is a station called "Barker Road stop," the last intermediate station towards the direction of the Peak. It has over a hundred years of history, featuring traditional British architecture with a white exterior adorned with historic lamp posts and railings. The station attracts people to come and take photos, including wedding photos. The circular arches, white columns, and decorative patterns make for a picturesque backdrop.
Along the way, there are also some places where the Peak Tram from the previous two generations are displayed, allowing us to appreciate up close the historically valuable Peak Trams. At first glance, they may look similar to the current carriages, but they still have a decoration style that exudes an old Hong Kong atmosphere. The red, green Peak Tram carry many people's memories, growing up with the locals, allowing citizens to savour the memories of the past.
Barker Road stop (Sources from V'air Hong Kong)
The old peak tram (Sources from Capture Hong Kong)
new peak tram - photo taken in 2022
(Sources from Capture Hong Kong)
The Peak Tower
When we arrive at the bus terminal and exit the mall, we will see the majestic Peak Tower. Many people don't realise that the previous building in its location, known as the "Old Peak Tower," looked quite different from the Peak Tower we see today. The Old Peak Tower was dismantled and replaced with the current Peak Tower thirty years ago. Looking at pictures of the Old Peak Tower, its white exterior resembled a mixture of an incense burner and a cauldron, with a nostalgic feel, much like the toy robots we played with as children. However, the current Peak Tower unique design, resembling a bowl and hands clasped in greeting, appears like a floating spaceship and embodies a futuristic style of architecture. From the Sky Terrace 428, one can overlook the glittering night view, which appears even higher than the surrounding skyscrapers.
Comparing photos of Hong Kong's night view from the 1980s, the city's skyline is even more dazzling today, with more towering buildings. Landmarks like the "Bank of China Tower" in the photos were yet to be built, and once they were, they became even more impressive. However, the previous harbour view and horizon were more expansive, whereas now the beautiful scenery is often blocked by towering skyscrapers. Nonetheless, we can still reminisce about the past harbour scenery through these photos.
Night view in the peak - photo taken in 2022
(sources from Capture Hong Kong)
Night view in the peak - photo taken in 1980s
(sources from Capture Hong Kong)
Current peak tower (sources from Capture Hong Kong)
The old peak tower (sources from: Hong Kong Memory)
On the way back, as it was dusk, it was the perfect time to descend the mountain. We could see the mountaintop shining in the golden light of the sunset, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves and shining on the vintage Peak Tram from previous generations. The Peak Tram has been serving us for over 120 years, and we feel grateful every time we ride it.
In conclusion, there is a significant difference between the pre and post-digitalisation photos, Capture.HK emphasis on quality digitalisation services for analogue media such as videotapes, photo albums, and photographs. With our unique expertise, we strive to ensure that your scenery and portraits are as true-to-life as possible, without distortion. Here are some before-and-after comparisons of Hong Kong's night view digitalised photos:
Night view photos before and after photo digitisation (sources from Capture HK)
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*This article is brought to you by Capture HK.
Capture HK is the premier analogue media digitisation company in Hong Kong.
Capture HK's business covers photographs, photo album digitisation, videotapes digitisation, including VHS, S-VHS, VHS-C, S-VHS-C Hi-8, Video8, Digital8, DV, DVCAM, MiniDV, DVC and digital media digitisation, including Secure Digital (SD), Smart Media (SM), MultiMediaCard (MMC) Compact Flash (CF), xD-Picture Card, Memory Stick, USB Drive, CDROM, DVD.