Newton railway station was a railway station on the Singapore-Kranji Railway, serving Newton from 1903 to 1932.
Newton | |||||||||||
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| General information | |||||||||||
| Location | Singapore | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 | ||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||
| Status | Demolished | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | 1 January 1903[1] | ||||||||||
| Closed | 2 May 1932[2] | ||||||||||
| Original company | Keretapi Tanah Melayu | ||||||||||
| Former services | |||||||||||
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History
editOriginally to be named Scott's Road railway station,[3] Newton railway station was opened to the public on 1 January 1903. It was located along Bukit Timah Road, as one of the first four railway stations in Singapore, with the Tank Road, Cluny Road, and Bukit Timah railway stations.[1] The station was built next to Bukit Timah Canal and was near several swamps.[4] The master-in-charge of the station was V. S. Chundrapillai.[5] Pillar boxes were installed in both Newton station and Tank Road station later that year.[6] By February 1906, the station was only serviced by rickshaws, as the tram lines did not extend to the area surrounding the station.[7]
In November 1906, authorities began filling up the swampy ground around Newton station with earth from filter beds at the excavation at Bukit Timah Road. Such measures ensure the prevention of malaria spread, which had been prevalent at the swampy location of the station. A new siding was erected at the station to facilitate the deposition of the earth.[8] By 1909, the loop lines and sidings of the station were lengthened to provide for the increased length of trains.[9]
As it was decided that Tank Road station was unfit to be the terminus of the line, the Bukit Timah-Tank Road section was eventually abandoned. The line would instead deviate between Bukit Panjang and Bukit Timah, travelling down a different route, which ran along the west of the main town, to a new terminal station at Tanjong Pagar.[10] Newton station, along with the rest of the Bukit Timah-Tank Road section of the line, was closed and abandoned on 2 May 1932, with the opening of the new terminus at Tanjong Pagar.[2]
After the station was demolished, the Newton Circus Roundabout was built on the former station grounds.[11]
Incidents
editOn 2 November 1904, the engine of a train arriving at Newton station from Tank Road station took the main line instead of the platform line. A truck carrying coal, which had been attached to the engine, veered onto the platform line and was subsequently dragged by the engine across the opposite side, derailing and causing it to fall. The luggage van followed suit, with the third-class compartment partially dislodged. Fortunately, none of the passengers were injured. However, the derailment resulted in the track between Newton station and Tank Road station being blocked. The accident was caused by the movable guiding rail being out of place.[12]
On 27 May 1905, Abdul Nazaar, the gateman of the level crossing at Chancery Lane, near Newton station, fell asleep and failed to open the gate for a train. This resulted in the engine colliding with the gate. However, the train did not sustain any damage. Nazaar was charged with neglecting his duty and endangering the safety of passengers of the railway, on 1 June 1905.[5]
On 10 November 1912, a man named Hamid crashed his car into the railway gate at the crossing near Newton station. A car wheel went over the foot of Gunda Singh, the gatekeeper, who was later admitted to a hospital. Hamid was charged with driving recklessly, injuring Gunda Singh, and mischief by damaging the gate on 11 November.[13]
References
edit- ^ a b "Singapore-Kranji Railway". The Straits Times. Singapore. 2 January 1903. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ a b "The new railway deviation". Malaya Tribune. Singapore. 2 May 1932. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ Ng, Yew Peng (28 September 2018). What's In The Name? How The Streets And Villages In Singapore Got Their Names. Singapore: World Scientific. p. 340. ISBN 981322147X.
- ^ "Municipal Matters". The Straits Times. Singapore. 8 October 1903. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ a b "A negligent railway gentleman". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly). Singapore. 1 June 1905. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "Post Office in 1903". The Straits Budget. Singapore. 8 October 1903. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "Trams wanted". Eastern Daily Mail and Straits Morning Advertiser. Singapore. 7 February 1906. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "Improvements at Newton". The Straits Times. Singapore. 1 November 1906. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "Singapore and Kranji Railway". The Straits Echo. Singapore. 1 June 1909. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ Chandy, Gloria (30 April 1979). "Once, Singapore connection crossed over the Johore Straits by steam ferries". New Nation. Singapore. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ Cornerlius, Vernon. "Newton Circus". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "Railway accident at Newton". The Straits Budget. Singapore. 2 November 1904. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "Another motor accident". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. Singapore. 12 November 1912. Retrieved 25 March 2022.