7 Mei Foo, Lai Chi Kok, and Cheung Sha Wan are totally mixed up
The consecutive trio of Mei Foo, Lai Chi Kok, and Cheung Sha Wan on the Tsuen Wan line seem put together until you step outside the station. Why on earth is Lai Chi Kok Park in Mei Foo? And Cheung Sha Wan Bus Terminus in Lai Chi Kok? What do you mean, the Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices is in Sham Shui Po???
The geographic schizophrenia has its origins in 1970 when MTR was preparing to launch its first services. Mei Foo Station back then was named Lai Chi Kok, Lai Chi Kok was Cheung Sha Wan, and Cheung Sha Wan of today was called So Uk Station. MTR realised belatedly that So Uk Station was too far from So Uk Estate to be named so, but because they had no idea what else to call it, they got rid of the name So Uk and shifted the names by one station. Thus, So Uk became Cheung Sha Wan Station, Cheung Sha Wan became Lai Chi Kok Station, and Lai Chi Kok became Mei Foo Station. Now you know what’s up the next time you’re at the lychee-red Lai Chi Kok station, going up the exit to Cheung Sha Wan Plaza!