NEW-LOOK PEAK TRAM

The 6th Generation Peak Tram was unveiled on 27 August, just as this magazine was hitting the shelves, with the first tramcar set to roll up the hill from 11am.

After closing for around eight months for a significant ($799 million) upgrade, the Peak Tram has returned with some noteworthy new features.

The first striking thing is the colour of the tramcars. Gone is the burgundy shade of the past 30 years; it’s been replaced with “Peak Tram Green” – this is said to be a nod to the 3rd and 4th generation tramcars that operated between 1948 and 1989. Also new is much of the machinery: the haulage, the ropes and track rails, and the control and signalling systems have all been replaced.

Both the termini have been revamped, too – in particular, the Central Terminus, which has a new temperature-controlled waiting area with room for up to 1,300 people. In addition to waiting times being cut by more than 70 percent, there’s a new entertainment experience at the station, with five different zones highlighting everything from the history of the Peak Tram (you can climb aboard a replica of a wooden 1st-generation Peak Tram from the 19th century, for example) to the wildlife found around the Peak through immersive audio-visual displays.

Also featured is a new 10-metre-tall sculpture, Eye of Infinity, by Australian artist Lindy Lee, said to be inspired by the “spirit of ascension” and featuring a constantly evolving lighting display. thepeak.com.hk