Kier Hong Kong Ltd in jv with Penta-Ocean Construction of Japan awarded $225 million contract to construct Tsuen Wan station for Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC). Station box will be constructed on reclaimed land within a diaphragm wall cofferdam 400 m-long x 40 m-wide x 15 m-deep and approach tunnels will be cut and cover protected by diaphragm walls. In total, over 2 km of diaphragm wall up to 28 m-deep will be required. Excavation involves removal of some 500,000 cu m of material and construction will require 225,000 cu m of concrete. Kier is already working in jv with Zen Pacific for KCRC to construct the $160 million Mei Foo station. January 2000.  French manufacturer NFM reports the launch this week of its new 8.5 m-diameter EPB on a 1.8 km drive for the Dragages/Zen Pacific joint venture at the West Rail project. The machine is the first EPB to be deployed in Hong Kong, and is also the largest TBM to enter service in the territory to date. It was designed by NFM under licence from Mitsubishi and was manufactured in Shanghai. It is equipped with both screw and belt conveyors and a rotating segment erector, and will build an average 11 m/day of 7.6 m i.d tunnel in mixed ground. It is scheduled to complete the first tube in six months and will be dismantled and returned to the launch shaft for the second tube which should be completed 15 months from now. For contact visit www.zenpacific.com April 2000.   Feasibility study underway for $1 billion connection between Nam Cheong on West Rail and Hung Hom on East Rail via Tsim Sha Tsui East. Visit www.arup.com 29/01.