The reprinted green map indicates how New Territories telephone numbers lost their Area Code prefix “0”, changing to eight-digit numbers commencing with “2”. Thus, in December 1985 was born The Railway Tavern, a pub and restaurant at Tai Wai village within the rapidly growing new city of Sha Tin. However, with the high price of property and so many restrictions on land usage, this was not to be and I had to settle for something less ambitious. I had originally dreamed of opening a restaurant in a New Territories property with a large garden so that that the miniature railway could serve as an attraction in the grounds. However, after 13 years in the company I was beginning to get itchy feet and develop a desire for a business of my own. This was when I had a very well-paid job as a department head in an aircraft engineering company at Kai Tak Airport. Without this I would not have been able to create a small workshop and store all the railway equipment when not in use.
My next-door neighbour also allowed me to spill out into one of his unused car spaces. Left : Chinese New Year, 1987 at Sam Pui Chau ( 三杯酒 ) near Ma On Shan Right: St George’s School Fair Kowloon Tong c.1989Īt that time, I was fortunate enough to have a company-provided house at Clear Water Bay with two car spaces. Sam-Pui-Chau-St.Georges-School-Miniature railway
