Ngong Ping 360
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Coordinates: 22°15′23″N 113°54′06″E / 22.256452°N 113.9015722°E
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| Traditional Chinese | 昂坪360 | ||||||||||||
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Ngong Ping 360 is a tourism project in Lantau Island, Hong Kong, consisting of Ngong Ping Cable Car (formerly Ngong Ping 360 Skyrail) and Ngong Ping Village. It is owned by the MTR Corporation, built and originally operated by Skyrail-ITM until it was sacked after an investigation following an incident where a cable car plunged 50m to the ground (no passengers were inside at the time).[1] The project was previously known as Tung Chung Cable Car Project before branded as such in April 2005.
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[edit] Conception
Following a feasibility study,the Hong Kong government issued an invitation in 2000 for detailed proposals and tender for a 30-year franchise on a Build-Operate-Transfer basis for the global project of operation, management and maintenance of a cable car system linking Tung Chung and Ngong Ping on Lantau Island. The Tourism Commission declared the objective of the project was to increase the range of attractions to visitors to enhance Hong Kong's position as a leading tourist destination in the region. Target timing is to identify a successful proponent by the end of 2001 and commencement of operation the cable car system before early 2006.[2]
[edit] Ngong Ping Cable Car
Ngong Ping Cable Car is a 5.7 km long bi-cable gondola lift system (referred to by its operators as a "cable car") linking between Tung Chung (where it connects the MTR Tung Chung station) and Ngong Ping (where the Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha are located). Between the two terminals at Tung Chung and Ngong Ping, the lift system runs across the southern shore of the Hong Kong International Airport island and Nei Lak Shan, with eight towers including the stations.
The system was originally scheduled to open on 24 June 2006. However, due to the incident on 17 June 2006, (see the Incident section for details), Skyrail-ITM postponed the opening day to fix the technical problems. After two months of improvement works and repair for the damages made by Typhoon Prapiroon in August 2006, Ngong Ping 360 resumed a trial-run of 7 days from 30 August 2006. It was opened on 18 September 2006. However, there have already been several reports of technical problems, some of them caused by strong winds.
Starting from April 2009, the company introduced crystal carbin (glass-bottom) cable car to passengers. [3]
[edit] Stations
| Livery and Name | District | Connections | Date Opened | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ngong Ping 360 . | ||||
| Tung Chung | Islands | Tung Chung Station for Tung Chung Line | September 18, 2006 | |
| Ngong Ping | ||||
The cable car journey offers a 25 minute aerial alternative to the current one-hour journey by Tung Chung Road, allowing visitors to glide across Tung Chung Bay and up to Lantau Island towards Ngong Ping Plateau.
The cableway starts at the Tung Chung Terminal, runs across Tung Chung Bay to an angle station on Airport Island, where it turns through about 60 degrees before returning across Tung Chung Bay. It then runs up the Lantau North Country Park to another angle station near Nei Lak Shan, before finally descending to the Ngong Ping Terminal.
During the 25 minute journey, travelers can see panoramic views over the North Lantau Country Park, the South China Sea, Hong Kong International Airport, the Tung Chung valley, Ngong Ping Plateau and surrounding terrain and waterways. As visitors approach Ngong Ping, they can see The Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery.
[edit] Selection and design
The corporation has adopted a continuous circulating bi-cable aerial ropeway system (a bi-cable gondola lift) for the Project. Between the Tung Chung and Ngong Ping Terminals, the 5.7 km cableway changes direction twice at the two angle stations, one on the south shore of Chek Lap Kok; the other west of Nei Lak Shan within the Lantau North Country Park.
A lot of emphasis was placed during the design development stage on harmonising the cable car development with the surrounding environment. As a result, all the terminals and angle stations are designed with unique character to blend in with the ambiance. The themed village has been designed to reflect and maintain the cultural and spiritual integrity of the Ngong Ping area, and to complement the existing attractions in the area and the cable car ride.
The cableway is supported by 8 towers. The cabin has a modern design with seating for 10 and standing room for another 7. It also incorporates features to meet the needs of disabled passengers, including elderly and wheelchair users. The system has a capacity of 3,500 people per hour in each direction.
The cableway and the cabins come from the Leitner Group. A continuous circulating bi-cable aerial ropeway system, where the track cable acts as a rail in the sky and the haul cable pulls the cabins, allows long spans between towers. It is the first of its type to be installed in Hong Kong. Martin Leitner, chief sales officer of Leitner explained that the cable car system used in Hong Kong is much heavier and bigger than that used in Austria. He said the steel columns used to support the system have to be stronger, and thus more expensive.[4]
[edit] Construction history
Construction of the Cable Car Project started at the beginning of 2004. The cableway has 8 towers, 5 of them located within the country park.
The opening was scheduled to open in June 2006, but was delayed by three months for tests and emergency staff drills following the breakdown during the trial run on 17 June which left invited guests suspended in mid-air. In keeping with feng shui traditions, the operator, Skyrail-ITM, sold just 1,688 tickets for the maiden day's run on 18 September at HK$88 each, the numbers being considered lucky.[5]
On 17 June 2006, during the trial-run with the maximum of 109 gondola cabins on the cables, a cabin arriving at Ngong Ping station had a slight collision with a late departing cabin. The entire system was automatically halted by the safety system. 500 passengers were trapped for two hours. After the incident, all trial-runs, including ones scheduled for the following day, were immediately cancelled, and the commencement date of the system was postponed.[6] Trials resumed on 30 August.[7] The project director at MTR Corp and senior executives of Skyrail were at the soft opening of the facility on 18 September.[8]
After service commencement, system failures still occur occasionally: Between its opening on 18 September and 27 October, eight service suspensions were recorded, prompting a legislative panel to challenge the operator's continued operation.[9] Henry Tang officiated the grand opening of the attraction on 9 November 2006. MTR Corp Chairman, Raymond Ch'ien, projected an average daily attendance in excess of 4,000, and a total of 1.5 million visitors in the first year of operation.[4]
[edit] Incidents post opening
At about 8:20 p.m. of 11 June 2007, a gondola cabin fell off the cable and crashed into a hilly area near Chek Lap Kok South Road during a brake test which was part of the annual examination of the cable.[10][11][12] There were no passengers inside the cabin when it fell down and no one was injured on the ground.[13][14]
After an investigation, a cable car worker was charged with criminal negligence related to the incident, and Skyrail-ITM was sacked from operating the service. The cable car service was halted indefinitely until 23 December where it underwent one week of trial run involving 40,000 visitors riding for free. MTR Corporation took over the operations of Ngong Ping 360 and it reopened officially on 31 December, 2007.[1][15]
[edit] Ngong Ping Village
The Ngong Ping Village is built next to the Ngong Ping Cable Car Terminal, occupies a 15,000 square metre site and has been designed to mirror and uphold the cultural and spiritual veracity of the Ngong Ping area. Traditional Chinese architectural designs are a feature of the Ngong Ping Village, which contains an assortment of shopping and dining experiences, on top of a number of key attractions including Walking with Buddha, the Monkey's Tale Theatre and the Ngong Ping Tea House. The Village is a must-see attraction for anyone going on the Ngong Ping 360. Chinese New Year, Chirstmas and the three days of Buddha's birthday are one of the most crowded days.
[edit] References
- ^ a b News.com.au report on reopening
- ^ "Detailed Proposals for the Tung Chung Cable Car Project invited". Press release. 24 April 2001. http://www.hketotyo.gov.hk/japan/jp/english/tungchungcable/topic_tungchugcable.html.
- ^ The NP360 Experience Crystal Cabin, Ngong Ping 360 Official Website
- ^ a b Leung, Wendy (10 November 2006). "Cable car up and running". The Standard. http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=27609&sid=9978942&con_type=3&d_str=20060919&sear_year=2006.
- ^ Leung, Wendy (14 September 2006). "Skyrail opening-day tickets sell briskly as safety fears evaporate". The Standard. http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=27290&sid=9873155&con_type=1&d_str=20060914&sear_year=2006.
- ^ Leung, Wendy; Wong, Albert (19 June 2006). "Fears rise at cable car for opening day". The Standard. http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=21033&sid=8468769&con_type=1&d_str=20060619&sear_year=2006.
- ^ Leung, Wendy (29 August 2006). "Cable car operator back on line". The Standard. http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=26094&sid=9631321&con_type=1&d_str=20060829&sear_year=2006.
- ^ Leung, Wendy (19 September 2006). "Ngong Ping 360 gets off the ground at last". The Standard. http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=27609&sid=9978942&con_type=3&d_str=20060919&sear_year=2006.
- ^ Yung, Chester (28 October 2006). "Pressure builds on troubled Skyrail operator". The Standard. http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=30503&sid=10591219&con_type=3&d_str=20061028&sear_year=2006.
- ^ RTHK news on the incident
- ^ RTHK news on the incident (in Chinese)
- ^ Sydney Morning Herald news on the incident
- ^ Ming Pao news report on the incident (in Chinese)
- ^ Investigation into Ngong Ping Skyrail cabin dislodgement completed (with video), Press Release of Hong Kong SAR Government
- ^ BBC Chinese report on reopening (in Chinese)
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Skyrail-ITM
- Environmental report of the project
- Details from MTR Corporation Limited website
- Sustainability Advisory Board for the Tung Chung Cable Car Project
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