Sai Ying Pun is a station on the MTR network. The station is located between HKU and Sheung Wan on the Island line. It serves the neighbourhood of Sai Ying Pun and the western part of Mid-Levels in northwestern Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Sai Ying Pun station was opened on 29 March 2015, completing the West Island line extension of the Island line.[3]

Sai Ying Pun

西營盤
MTR MTR rapid transit station
Platform 2
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese西營盤
Simplified Chinese西营盘
Hanyu PinyinXīyíngpán
Cantonese Yalesai1 ying4 pun4
Literal meaningWestern Barracks
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinXīyíngpán
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationsai1 ying4 pun4
Jyutpingsai1 jing4 pun4
General information
LocationIntersections between High Street, Centre Street, and Third Street, Sai Ying Pun
Central and Western District, Hong Kong
Coordinates22°17′08″N 114°08′34″E / 22.2856°N 114.1427°E / 22.2856; 114.1427
Owned byMTR Corporation
Operated byMTR Corporation
Line(s)
Platforms2 (1 island platform)
Tracks2
Connections
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Depth50[1] m (160 ft)
Platform levels1
AccessibleYes
ArchitectAedas
Other information
Station codeSYP
History
Opened29 March 2015; 9 years ago (2015-03-29)[1][2]
Services
Preceding station MTR MTR Following station
HKU
towards Kennedy Town
Island line Sheung Wan
towards Chai Wan
Track layout
to HKU
2
1
Location
Hong Kong MTR system map
Hong Kong MTR system map
Sai Ying Pun
Location within the MTR system
Hong Kong MTR system map
Hong Kong MTR system map
Sai Ying Pun
Sai Ying Pun (Hong Kong Island)

History

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Plans for the station first appeared in Hong Kong Mass Transit: Further Studies in 1970. However, the Island line, built in the mid-1980s, did not include any stations west of Sheung Wan.

Proposed locations

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In Outline Zoning Plan No. S/H3/20, the Planning Department of the government indicated one possible location under Des Voeux Road West at Ko Shing Street as of December 2003. A ventilation shaft marked with MTR notices can be found at the intersection. A large void facing Des Voeux Road West, sealed, can also be found at a nearby medical centre, which some have speculated that it was reserved for a to-be-built exit. These findings suggest that this was original proposed location.[4]

However, in proposals submitted to the government by the MTR in May 2002, the proposed station was shifted further west to the intersection of Des Voeux Road West and Water Street.[5]

In March 2004, the MTR moved the station back east but south of the initial alignment under King George V Memorial Park. A source from the MTR Corporation (MTRC) revealed to the local newspaper Ming Pao that this location was chosen to avoid any nuisance during works under major roads. The location would also better suit the needs of Mid-Levels residents, the source said.[citation needed]

Design and construction

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The MTR Corporation let out a tender for the construction of the Sai Ying Pun and HKU stations and 2.2 km (1.4 mi) of tunnel. In 2009 the design and architecture work was awarded to Aedas in a joint venture with AECOM.[6] In March 2010, it was awarded to a joint venture of Gammon Construction and Nishimatsu Construction (西松建設) for HK$4.7 billion.[7] Construction commenced in 2010 and was completed in 2015. The station opened later than the other two on the West Island line due to construction delays resulting from soft ground conditions. Exit B3 construction was delayed for the same reason.[3][8] Other elements of the construction included demolition of the Centre Street cooked food centre, the Ki Ling Lane children's playground, and the Whitty Street public toilet.[9]

The station is home to a work of art entitled "Street Scenes of Sai Ying Pun", a collage of monochrome photos by artist Tse Ming-chong and the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation. It is located between the concourse and Exit B1/B2.[10]

The pedestrian passage between Exit A and the concourse is very long, and has drawn complaints from some residents.[11]

Island line western extension opened on 28 December 2014, but Sai Ying Pun station did not open until 29 March 2015.

Station layout

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G Ground level Exits/Entrances
C Concourse Customer Service, MTRShops
P
Platforms
Platform 1      Island line towards Chai Wan (Sheung Wan)
Island platform, doors will open on the right
Platform 2      Island line towards Kennedy Town (HKU)

[12]

Entrances and exits

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Sai Ying Pun station has a total of 6 entrances/exits. Like its neighbouring HKU station, the station is characterised by the long corridors linking the concourse with the exits, due to the fact that the station box is located underneath the Mid-Levels.

Exit B3 (Ki Ling Lane) opened on 27 March 2016; its construction was delayed by difficult ground conditions. Lifts were opened for public use on 25 June 2016.[1][15]

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Sai Ying Pun Station was used as a filming location for several blockbuster films, including Cold War 2.[16]

Web novelist Echo of Heart had also wrote Sai Ying Pun, a horror fantasy based on the station's postponement in service and the urban legends of the neighbouring Whitty Station and Rumsey Station.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Extension of Island Line to Western District". MTR Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  2. ^ "West Island Line targets to open in December 2014, 90% of works complete" (PDF). MTR Corporation. 29 May 2014.
  3. ^ a b Kao, Ernest (29 March 2015). "MTR fans queue to become first to use Sai Ying Pun station". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 October 2005. Retrieved 30 June 2005.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 16 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ "Spectrum Asia Issue 02/April 2011" (PDF). AECOM.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "MTR West Island Line progresses". Railway Gazette International. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  8. ^ "Projects West Island Line Work Progress".
  9. ^ "West Island Line Construction Progress Update". November 2010. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  10. ^ "MTR > Art in Station Architecture".
  11. ^ Kao, Ernest; Cheung, Elizabeth (30 March 2015). "Hong Kong's MTR network opens new station in Sai Ying Pun". South China Morning Post. p. C4.
  12. ^ "Sai Ying Pun Station layout" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Site Plan of Sai Ying Pun Station, West Island Line EIA Reports
  14. ^ a b c d e f "Sai Ying Pun Station street map" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  15. ^ Beatrice Siu (30 May 2014). "Another MTR headache as West Island Line delayed". The Standard. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  16. ^ "《寒戰II》西營盤站攞景晚晚趕到甩褲". am730. 15 June 2016. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  17. ^ 張家佳 (28 December 2020). "【網絡文學.一】接地氣的「人民文學」成全民互聯網娛樂". HK01. Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
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