Kwong Chow Station

Kwong Chow 光州
Platforms, Escalators to north concourse (taken on 21 January, 2024)
Overview
Operator	West Lake Transport Authority
Lines	Line 1 (Meyan Line) Phase 1
	Line 2 (Kwong Chow - North Coast Line)
Owner	BDark000
Region	West Lake
Platforms	4
Tracks	4
Coordinates	(-2130, 2304)
Station
Type	Underground
Floors	3
Platform Floors	2
Step-Free Accessible	Yes
Station Code	KWC
Opened	22 December, 2022
Electrification	25kV Overhead Cable AC (WIP) (Line 1 (Meyan Line) Phase 1)
	1.5kV Overhead Cable DC (WIP) (Line 2 (Kwong Chow - North Coast Line))

Kwong Chow Station (Chinese: 光州站) is a station in the West Lake Area built by BDark000 on behalf of West Lake Transport Authority (WLT). It is the western terminus of Line 2 (Kwong Chow - North Coast Line) and a mid-way stop of Line 1 (Meyan Line) Phase 1. The station gets featured for a couple of times in Jonathan's videos¹⁾.

When WLT's first plan regarding transportation in the West Lake Area is out, the region near now Kwong Chow station is already planned to have at least a station to serve the residence. Due to lines being proposed to be light rail in the beginning, it was planned to have two stations instead of one, at the north side and south side of the stream respectively²⁾. The name Kwong Chow³⁾ was previously only assigned to the area at the north of the stream, due to the land shape looking like the Korean Peninsula, picking a city name at the south end of the Peninsula which can correspond to the landscape⁴⁾. Meanwhile, Chai Chow⁵⁾ was originally picked to be the name of the area south of the stream, since it's at the south of the Peninsula, separated by water bodies.

After the planned light rail routes are upgraded to rapid transit, the area is no longer sufficient to support two stations. Hence, they are merged to one, and Kwong Chow is picked while Chai Chow is dropped. It was planned to have a vast space for the platform structure, being two side platforms with at least 8m tall and 19m apart from each other, serving Line 1 (Meyan Line) (called WLT Line 1 at that time). Middle part is separated into a mezzanine 4m above and lower part 4m under the split side platforms. A pair of stacked tracks of Line 2 (Kwong Chow - North Coast Line) (called WLT Line 2 at that time) passing in the middle and forming two double-sided side platforms. In that design, passengers alighting from Line 2, can exit on either side to change to Line 1 trains for the two directions on the opposite, or go up the escalators, stairs or lifts to exit the station. Conversely, passengers changing from both directions of Line 1 can enjoy a “cross platform interchange” to Line 2.

Unfortunately, after some study of trackwork, as both Line 1 and Line 2 is going from overground to underground at the north of the station, with a rather steep gradient. It is difficult to get Line 1 southbound tunnels properly crossing over or under two layers of Line 2 tunnels and reach designated position, then crossing under Line 2 tunnels again at the south of the station. Line 1 tracks also need to allow rooms for trains going to and from Chung Kwo Kok Depot. The plan was deemed too complicated and not feasible, hence was given up.

Although the plan that brings the most convenience to passengers doesn't proceed, the concept of openness in design remains. WLT turns to take the designs of real life KCRC Sha Tin to Central Link, including now Tai Wai station and proposed Hung Hom station new platforms as a reference. They both have a hollow upper floor design. Upper floor can see the lower floor, and vice versa. Kwong Chow station is redesigned to have a double-layered platform inspiring from KCRC openness and concourses on two ends, with Line 1 tracks at the west and Line 2 tracks at the east, eliminating all possibilities of tracks crossing each other, to keep the alignments simple. Meanwhile, the cross platform interchange between Line 2 and Line 1 sections north of Kwong Chow is retained, and Line 1 sections south of Kwong Chow is forgone, in accordance to the Chung Kwo Kok and Wong Yip Island Development Plan as well as more developments of other builders from Northern Snow Village station to Birch Hill station than from Yuen Chow Kok station to Suet Yuen station.

• late July, 2022: Initial plan of transportation in the West Lake Area is out. Stations are not yet confirmed but planned to have two near now Kwong Chow station.
• early August, 2022: WLT confirms that only one Kwong Chow station will be built.
• early September, 2022: Station starts planning for Line 1 split side platforms and Line 2 stacked double-sided side platforms proposal.
• mid October, 2022: Station layout is revised to how it looks now.
• 22 December, 2022: Station is open to the public as well as the extension of WLT Line 1 Phase 1 from Birch Hill station to this station.
• early January, 2023: Step-free access is now fully available after a new lift exit is added to Exit D.
• 24 June, 2023: Line 2 (Kwong Chow - North Coast Line) runs a shuttle service (later known as W. Section Temp Shuttle) between this station and Sai Mo Island station. It is the first day of the station providing cross platform interchange.
• early December, 2023: A small renovation on the stairs is done. Most of the staircases in the station are extended and leave a small space in the middle for better safety and passengers experience. Also, the downward escalator from south concourse to platform 1 has been removed and become part of the staircase for better crowd control.
• 18 May, 2024: Station becomes a mid-way stop of Line 1 (Meyan Line) Phase 1 when the line extends to Tai Po.

Not counting exits, there are a total of 3 floors in the station. L1 is concourse and is separated into north and south part not directly accessible to each other, due to the Grand Canal in between. North part connects Exit C, D while south part connects Exit A, B. L2 and L3 are platforms under the canal.

Platforms 1, 3 stack on top of platforms 2, 4 on the two sides. In between is the core structure. Under the concourse on two ends, it consists of walls, passages, staircases and escalators. Under the canal, it has the famous high ceiling spacious and open design, with chandeliers hung between the pillars. To facilitate the interchange at the upper platforms, a passageway in the middle is built to further connect up platforms 1 and 3. And since future interchange between Line 1 (Meyan Line) south of Kwong Chow and Line 2 (Kwong Chow - North Coast Line) requires going down from upper platforms to lower platforms, a staircase and two escalators connecting the two floors are also built.

One lift is serving between north concourse and the platforms, while another is serving between south concourse and the platforms. The lift serving south concourse is larger due to a higher anticipated passengers flow and capacity needed.

• A: BDark Kwong Chow Castle
  • A1: BDark Kwong Chow Castle
  • A2: Yu Kwong Village
• B: Sai Wan
• C: BDark's Bridge
  • C1: BDark's Bridge
  • C2: Kwong Chow North Area
• D: Kwong Chow Pier
  • D1: Kwong Chow Pier
  • D2: Welcome Cape

Passengers may take Line 1 (Meyan Line) Phase 1 heading towards Tai Po, Sakura Stream Area, Northern Snowland and Mesa or Line 2 (Kwong Chow - North Coast Line) heading towards Spawn Area. Incoming passengers can change to another line to continue their journey on the opposite platform. Passengers going from and to Line 2 (Kwong Chow - North Coast Line) and Line 1 (Meyan Line) stations southwards/eastwards need to go down one floor.