CHINA: MTR Corp has awarded a joint venture of Leighton Asia and Gammon Construction the West Kowloon Terminus Station North contract, covering construction of the Hong Kong terminus of the future Express Rail Link to Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

Announcing the HK$8·9bn win on October 20, Leighton Asia said the 'world-class' station would be an international gateway to mainland China, handling more than 100 000 passengers a day. The 'dramatic' steel and glass roof over the station entrance is intended to be a prominent feature of the Kowloon skyline.

There will be nine platforms for long-distance services and six for shuttle trains, plus customs and immigration facilities, departure lounges, duty free and retail outlets. The station will be connected to the adjacent Austin and Kowloon metro stations and the Airport Express by pedestrian bridges and underpasses.

Construction is scheduled to begin this month for completion in 2015, with a peak workforce of more than 2 000 people.

The XRL project was described in detail in the February 2011 issue of Railway Gazette International, which subscribers can read in the digital archive.