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[WIP article] Kowloon station
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Kowloon (Chinese: 九龍) is a major interchange station on the Let's Play Server, featuring 8 heavy rail, 1 high-speed rail, 1 light rail and 2 ferry lines. The station is located ~1500 blocks northeast of Spawn and one of the most frequented stations on the server.
General information
The station is one of the oldest stations to be constructed on the Let's Play Server. It is located on the intersection of a plains and a beach biome, facing north-south. Its namesake is Kowloon station, which in turn is named after one of the three main geographical regions of Hong Kong.
History
- 2022: The original Kowloon station is built, although it remains unfinished and unused.
- 11 December 2022: The station is taken over by sleepy_sapph and a new station design is proposed.
- 15 December 2022: After the demolition of the old Kowloon station, construction starts on the new station, which was originally based on Richmond station in Melbourne, Australia. By this date there is a basic structure in place with a vague resemblance to Richmond.
- 5 January 2023 Station owner Lilypad Rail holds a community poll on the design basis of the station, and after a result of 74% in favour of a redesign (20 vs. 7), a station redesign is undertaken to base Kowloon instead off of Canary Wharf DLR station in London, England.
- 8 January 2023: The new station first appears on the system map in S3E1 of the Let's Play Series, marked as WIP.
- 29 January 2023: The station reappears in S3E3, now featuring the Metro Pengaloo Line Phase 4, the Kowloon Commuter, AT Metro service 2301 and the BVM on platforms 1/2, 3/4, 9, and A/E, respectively.
- 5 February 2023: Jonathan builds the Clock Tower northeast of the station in S3E4. The tower is based on the real-life Kowloon Clock Tower which used to be a part of old KCR Kowloon Terminus demolished in 1978.
- 23 March 2023: The Pengaloo Line is split in 2 sections, temporarily no longer serving Kowloon, in order to enable construction work for new underground platforms (now platforms 12-13) and the elimination of Kowloon Tong as a calling point for the Metro Pengaloo Line
- 24 March 2023: The station's canopy is recoloured to the Trans Flag's colours light blue, pink and white for Trans* Visibility and Awareness Day.
- 2 April 2023: The Kowloon Commuter service is suspended in order to enable construction work for a new underground platform (now platform 11). Heung Hoi station, previously located north of Kowloon, is now fully closed and demolished at this time.
- 13 April 2023: Tramlink starts service.
- April 2023: The Intercity Metro-Diagonally Line starts serving Kowloon.
- April/May 2023: The Pengaloo Line resumes its service at Kowloon.
- May/June/July 2023: The Kowloon Commuter resumes service.
- 6 August 2023: The Kowloon Commuter is absorbed into Lilypad Rail and renamed Hillside Line.
- 21 October 2024: The Hillside Line becomes Sidelines Hillside as apart of the broader merger & official branding as Sidelines as a separate entity from its owners and their respective companies.
- 8 December 2025: The Manual Driving Learner's Line opens.
- 10 December 2025: The AT Metro services are rebranded to Austrail, and the Austrail Great East Line (now Far East Line) starts service.
- 26 March 2026: The Austrail Northern Link Line starts serving Kowloon.
- 27 March 2026: Station owner Lilypad Rail installs previously neglected concourse-to-exit lift.
Layout
The station is features 3 floors in the main building and a rooved waterfront exit with access to the ferry docks and Tramlink platforms. All platforms are north-south oriented.
The waterfront
The station can only be accessed by the waterfront entrance, which comprises a big open hall with a north-south canopy, similar to the main canopy, in red concrete and glass. The floor is constructed of stone bricks. The ferry docks are located on the eastern edge, directly facing the water. Access is possible through gateways on the north and south sides between the water and the Tramlink tracks.
Main station building
West of the entrance is the actual station building. As previously mentioned, the design is inspired by Canary Wharf DLR station. The main bulding only has a single stair/escalator access leading from the waterfront exit to the underground concourse.
Concourse
Passenger information displays at the concourse.
The station's concourse features a large passenger information display screen in the entrance area, as seen in other large Lilypad Rail hubs like Llanmara Saint Ann's. The concourse has a floor out of randomly arranged stone, polished andesite and sea lanterns, walls out of London Underground Addon gray concrete, a ceiling out of quartz blocks and station-coloured purpur blocks, as well as ceiling lights and JCM light lanterns for lighting and evenly arranged quartz pillars. The stairs leading to the upper platforms are JCM's MTR stairs flanked by deepslate tile stairs and walls. All platforms can be accessed by stairs and lifts.