It’s been 8 years since 108 years of Singapore railway history had ended on 1 July 2011 when the railway land from Tanjung Pagar to south of Woodlands Train Checkpoint was handed back to Singapore and KTM train services ended serving central Singapore. Every year close to the anniversary or on the anniversary itself, I’ve always done my personal pilgrimage on this once-railway land, and 2019 is definitely no exception. It’s a little bit special this year as RailTravel Station is now at 5 years old, and the new Malaysian land in Singapore has been fully developed now.
DUO Singapore
DUO Singapore is an integrated mixed-use development located in Bugis, comprising of DUO Residences – residential accommodation, DUO Tower – offices, DUO Galleria – retail gallery, and Andaz Singapore hotel – a concept by Hyatt. Sitting on Ophir-Rochor land parcels TS13-1115N and TS13-1116X, the complex is made up of a distinct twin-tower.
Entering DUO Singapore from Bugis Junction side.
DUO Singapore is directly connected to Bugis MRT Station and has its own exit. So I guess you could say that you can take the Downtown Line to Malaysia.
The sign from the MRT on the various parts of DUO that you can access.
Bugis MRT Station Exit E leads directly to DUO.
Looking down on Level 1 of DUO Galleria.
n the middle of the DUO development, there is a landscaped plaza.
Loking up at the landscaped plaza, you get a nice view of the twin towers.
The landscaped plaza blends well with the DUO design.
A water feature is also available at the landscaped plaza.
Heading back into DUO Galleria.
The attached bus stop on Beach Road, however, still bears the old name.
DUO Singapore skirts around Parkview Square, which is not part of the devleopment and land swap agreement.
The towering DUO, not easily captured on my camera.
In my heart, I had wished for the DUO to house an integrated express bus terminal similar to TBS to move the crowd away from the nearby Golden Mile area, also partly because it was Malaysia land, but I guess this didn’t happen.
Marina One
On this new part of Marina Bay sits a very new integrated complex, not looking out of place together with all other skyscrapers in the area.
Marina One is an integrated mixed-use development located in Marina Bay, comprising of Marina One Residences, Marina One Offices, and The Heart – retail podium. Sitting on Marina South land parcels TS30-361T, TS30-362A, TS30-363K and TS30-364N, the complex is made up of 4 towers.
While not directly connected to the Downtown MRT Station on the Downtown Line, the station’s Exit E is located just a few meters away from the complex.
The usual SBSTransit standard of wayfinding.
The location of Marina One from Downtown MRT Station.
Marina One East Tower fronts the access from Downtown MRT Station.
The plot of land in front of Marina One still remains empty for future development.
Crossing over to Marina One.
Signs for the tenants at Marina One.
The driveway to Marina One Offices. If Tanjong Pagar Railway Station was maintained this well, I doubt that the Singapore Government would even ask for the land back.
Heading into The Heart.
The floor plan of The Heart.
Heading into the Green Heart.
The view of the Park Tower residential block from the Green Heart.
Walking down the Green Heart.
The Green Heart embraces the Singaporean “City in a Garden” concept and is home to almost to 400 species of plants.
The view of the Garden Tower residential block from the Green Heart.
The multi-storey garden features a three-storey waterfall and bridges to walk through the garden on.
Heading out of the Green Heart.
How the 4 blocks blend in with the Green Heart.
The main path from the driveway into the Green Heart.
Heading out of Marina One to retrace the original Malaysian land once again.
Tanjong Pagar Railway Station
Tanjong Pagar Railway Station needs no explanation.
Alighting from the bus at the bus stop opposite Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, the bus stop names have been changed since 8 years ago.
The view of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station from the opposite bus stop.
The AYE viaducts have also been changed to a slimmer design.
The viaducts have metal frames installed for climber plants to grow, covering the concrete pillars.
The view of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station with the AYE viaducts blocking it.
The facade of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, marred by the green SLA gate.
The overhanging porches are held up by scaffolding.
Peering through the gate to see Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.
The site office of Circle Line Stage 6 now sits on both the former railway station car park and the URA car park.
The sculptures of Agriculture, Commerce and Transport and Industry still stand below the FMSR initials.
Time has also stood still beside the station.
The former entrance to the Kiriman Ekspres office.
Additional scaffolding propping up the damaged porches.
The new end of the platform just a few meters after the main station building.
From here on, the land is used for the construction of Cantonment MRT Station on the Circle Line Stage 6.
The typical construction hoardings of new MRT lines surrounding the site.
Construction is under way even on a Sunday.
An artist’s impression on the hoardings on how the station exit will look like.
The bus stop still keeps the name of “former Railway Stn”.
The ever-changing Singapore skyline from Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.
The facade of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station can no longer be captured from the URA car park as the site office of Circle Line Stage 6 is in the way.
The site office of Circle Line Stage 6.
The site office is also home to the Circle Line Stage 6 Project Information Centre which is open to the public.
Tanjong Pagar Railway Station from Spottiswoode Park Road.
The CCL Stage 6 construction takes up the land beside Spottiswoode Park Road too.
The former shortcut from the station canteen to Spottiswoode Park Road.
Heading down Spottiswoode Park Road.
The view of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station can no longer be seen now that the construction is in full swing.
Turning into Spottiswoode Park estate to get to the yard.
Looks like the housing estate isn’t spared too, but the value of the houses here are going to increase rapidly in no time (unless an en bloc takes place).
Heading to the former Kampung Bahru Yard.
Kampong Bahru Yard
The Kampong Bahru Yard still remains as an open space, albeit with slightly different functions now.
The land which the former Eastern and Oriental Express and KTM Intercity coach sheds sat on now houses the transplanted platform roofs of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station as the constructions works of construction of Cantonment MRT Station on the Circle Line Stage 6 are under way.
The front wall of the former Sri Muneswarar Temple still stands.
The former staircase to the former Sri Muneswarar Temple has since been demolished.
The former goods lines and turntable now houses a URA car park.
Heading out to Kampong Bahru Road.
The view of the former Kampung Bahru Yard from the overhead bridge.
The site of the former turntable.
Royal Malaysian Customs
The former Royal Malaysian Customs godown is now the Kampong Bahru Bus Terminal, replacing the former New Bridge Road Bus Terminal located outside SGH.
Sheltered walkways lead to the Kampong Bahru Bus Terminal.
Instead of trains, the former sidings how houses buses instead.
Bridge 1871
Well this is surprising. The bridge across Bukit Timah Road and Dunearn Road is finally being taken care of.
The translucent hoardings on the bridge. Wonder what’s going on up there.
The main driveway to Bukit Timah Railway Station is also now closed as an official construction access road.
Seems like the hoardings end at Rifle Range Road.
Looks like both railway bridges, here and beside The Rail Mall are being refurbished. Hmm, is it for the upcoming 61 Class DMU?
The alternative routes available while the two truss bridges in Singapore are closed for refurbishment.
The emergency evacuation and escape route map for workers in the site and those in the vicinity.
Bukit Timah Railway Station
Heading up to Bukit Timah Railway Station.
The side path leading up to the siding hasn’t changed much after 8 years.
Hmm, the main line alignment looks as if the Klang Valley upgrading nonsense has came here too.
Oh, it’s part of the bridge closure.
Looking down at what once was the loop line.
The barricade to prevent people from venturing into the bridge works area.
Looking north from the former main line.
The station master’s bungalow, still kept as it is.
Reminders are everywhere that SLA owns the buildings now.
What’s left of Bukit Timah Railway Station.
The start of the preserved section of track, though I’m not sure why new 2006 tracks are so valuable to history.
The toilet of Bukit Timah Railway Station now overgrown.
The facade of Bukit Timah Railway Station.
Looking down south towards Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.
The decaying station sign of Bukit Timah Railway Station.
There seems to be a flatter, more manicured path down the Rail Corridor now.
Some parts of the manicured path is still cordoned off, not sure why it is so.
Returning back to the station.
The platform edge is almost buried in soil now.
Looking up towards Butterworth.
Looking down towards Tanjong Pagar.
A better shot of the station sign.
Whoever did this entanglement to the telegraph wires needs help from KTM to put it back properly.
The northbound token catcher still stands…
… though the sign remains missing.
The loop line’s token catcher which was haphazardly moved to the platform is now gone.
Back to where I spend most of my time on weekends before the railway closure.
The spare levers still stand.
The entire station building is still fenced off.
The former station hall of Bukit Timah Railway Station.
Seems like all the posters have been taken down.
CCTVs have been installed.
The sign which has been sitting here for 8 years now found itself on the floor.
The station master’s office of Bukit Timah Railway Station.
I’m surprised that this is still standing. I wonder if it will end up in a museum some day.
Flags no longer fly here.
The driveway seems untouched. Wonder why it’s cordoned off.
Heading out of Bukit Timah Railway Station.
Looking back once more.
The view down the main line towards Tanjong Pagar.
The view down the loop line towards Tanjong Pagar.
The view down the siding towards Tanjong Pagar.
A last look at Bukit Timah Railway Station on this year’s pilgrimage.
Heading back down to civilization.
The King Albert Park MRT Station overhead bridge proves an easier alternative to cross the road than the railway bridge.
King Albert Park MRT Station on the Downtown Line is located just before Bukit Timah Railway Station.
Gombak Gate
The location of Gombak Gate is still marked by the 4.5 meter allowance of the Walk2Ride walkway over the former railway tracks. Wonder why they bothered to to do it when it was built after the railway was removed.
The railway quarters, however, have all been removed.
Bukit Panjang Gate
Similarly, Bukit Panjang Gate has a 4.5 meter tall Walk2Ride walkway above the former railway alignment.
Mandai Gate
Not much distinction can be seen here of the former railway with the widened road.
The railway crossing probably sat on where the bus stop is now.
Sungei Kadut Gate
Failed shot here. Oops.
Kranji Gate
The last gate in Singapore towards the north, it’s a bit inland, but similarly, the site of the gate is now home not only to a widened road but also a new road junction. It’s a bit deeper in than seen from this photo though.
Woodlands Train Checkpoint
The only remaining “railway station” in Singapore, which doesn’t really function as such but rather an an immigration checkpoint. Facilities before boarding, to be polite, are sparse.
Woodlands Waterfront
Not really part of the land swap yet (though the tracks in these pictures were supposed to be last year when the RTS was supposed to be up and running already), I thought this journey wouldn’t be complete without a short trainspotting session, and also a single picture of the remaining railway line still in Singapore for passenger services.
The new Johor Bahru skyline coming up.
At 5.30pm, 25104 “Pulau Indah” leads the Shuttle Tebrau 86up to JB Sentral.
23101 “Amanah” is at the southern end of the train.
The Shuttle Tebrau 86up crossing over the Tebrau Strait to Malaysia.
1 July 2019 also marks the 4th year that the Shuttle Tebrau is in operation – a train service where Singaporeans and Malaysians are so desperately camping online to buy a S$5 or RM16 ticket 30 days before departure at 8.30am, and making the KTM website hang or crash every time.
So I really don’t understand the argument about the RTS bearing the same fare priced “too high” and to be suspended and reviewed, when people are currently so desperate to happily pay this amount 30 days before departure at 8.30am, and KTM even had to implement stringent measures to prevent tiket ulat by resellers selling tickets up to 10 times the ticket price (RM50) for the 5 minute journey across the Causeway – and yes, people did happily buy them.
2019 marks the year where both the HSR and RTS, the two key rail replacements in the Malaysia–Singapore Points of Agreement Supplement 2010, are now hanging by a thread pending Malaysia’s decision to carry them on or not, of which the RTS Link was supposed to be in operation by this time last year in 2018 already.
I wonder what 2020 has in store. Perhaps it will be better since it’s a signature year?
Thank you RailTravel Station for preserving our memories. I hope one day TPRS and BTRS will be opened for public visit, so we can bring our kid to take a look at the place where we frequented prior to 30 June 2011.