Eddy Blog

I thought it would be great to post a tribute to the KTM Railway and the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station in Singapore as the rail removal project has been completed and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore has announced that the Rail Corridor (former railway route in Singapore) would be opened to the public on January 16th 2012.

The Tanjong Pagar Railway Station is one of the prewar structure opened on May 3rd 1932 and have been the main railway terminal linking Singapore to Malaysia until July 1st 2011 where the agreement was forged between the Malaysian and Singapore Government for a land swap and the moving of the immigration and customs office to the present day Woodlands Railway Station.

Although I’ve only travelled on the KTM trains a couple of times in my life, it is an integral part of my growing up years. Since the mid 70s after moving into my present home, I would remember hearing the “Choo Choo” from the KTM trains several times a day while it passes through my estate. This way way back before there was the MRT trains made its appearance.

For 6 years between 1977 to 1982, De La Salle School was where I had my primary school education. At that time, the school was located in Telok Blangah Road which was near the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. I remember spending time with my friends after and before school at the workers’ canteen of the railway station, buying snacks, sweets and playing the arcade games there.

Singapore at that time was not the metropolis as it is today and life was a lot simpler. We just make do with what we have for fun. One of the local past time was to visit the KTM Stations and go on the tracks to witness the arrival and departures of the trains. I remember waving off to the train while it leaves the station even though I did not know anyone on board.

When KTM experimented with the shuttle train service between Singapore and Johor Bahru in the early 80s and we would hop on the shuttle train to Holiday Plaza in Johor Bahru to get yummy snacks, food and clothes during the school holidays. It was certainly a trip which I have been looking forward to. We were not wealthy and as long as we cross the causeway over the sea, we were overseas.

My one and only actual KTM rail journey was on my return trip from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore in 2004. It was an overnight train and although I did not get to see much of the surrounding towns where the train passes, it was definitely enjoyable. It was slow, it was noisy and the seats were not as comfortable as a coach or a plane but the experience was worth it. During that trip, when we stopped over at the Woodlands Station, many of the passengers aligned and went off their separate ways. There was about an hour stopover at that station while the Singapore Customs Officers would do whatever they were tasked to do on the train. We decided to wait for them to complete their work and continue our journey to Tanjong Pagar. It was a view of Singapore through a different perspective as the train snakes through places which were inaccessible until now.

So enough about me. Now more pictures of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.

The four marbled statues that protects the train station and represents the 4 pillars of the Malayan Economy which was Agriculture, Commerce, Transport and Industry. The 4 initials “FMSR” on top of the statues forms the abbreviation for Federal Malay States Railways.

Now we step into the interior of the station

The Stained Glass Windows which portrays Malaysian Life

Tourism Malaysia Kampong Exhibit

KTM Ticketing Booths

How can we forget the food

Before the Woodlands Railway Station was built, both the Singapore and Malaysian checkpoints for visitors into Singapore via the train was done at the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. With its establishment, that function has been shifted to Woodlands and that side of the railway in Tanjong Pagar was home to several eateries. People from near and far would flock to sample Malaysian Cuisine in Singapore within the confines of Malaysian Land. There is certainly the novelty in that.

That’s the Malaysian Immigration Checkpoint for trains departing from Singapore. Technically at that time, you enter into Malaysia before exiting Singapore. In the foreground I believe is the levels used to switch tracks for the train turnaround.

This must be the emergency stop in case the train could not stop on its own.

Here comes the train

Welcome to Singapore

More Passengers Streaming into Singapore while the train driver’s compartment makes a switchover

Departing Gate into the Malaysian Immigration Checkpoint

I am certainly going to miss this grand dane and the railway. This marks the end of one chapter in Singapore – Malaysia rail history into a new future with cooperations and friendly ties into other ventures. Part of the land swap deal with for the joint-development of several plots of prime estate in Singapore by M-S Pte Ltd, a joint company of the Malaysian and Singapore Government.