Wikipedia

Caldecott MRT station

(Redirected from Thomson MRT Station)

Caldecott MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the Circle line (CCL) and Thomson–East Coast line (TEL), located in Toa Payoh planning area, Singapore. It is situated underneath Toa Payoh Link near the junction of Toa Payoh Rise, located near the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH), the Caldecott Broadcast Centre and Mount Alvernia Hospital. The station is operated by SMRT Trains.

 CC17  TE9 
Caldecott
加利谷
கால்டிகாட்
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange
Exit 1 of Caldecott MRT station.
General information
Location38 Toa Payoh Rise
Singapore 298113 (CCL)
1 Toa Payoh Link
Singapore 297608 (TEL)
Coordinates1°20′16″N 103°50′22″E / 1.337761°N 103.839447°E / 1.337761; 103.839447
Owned byLand Transport Authority
Operated bySMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation)
Line(s)
  Circle Line
  Thomson–East Coast Line
Platforms4 (2 island platforms)
Tracks4
ConnectionsBus, taxi
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Depth35 metres
Platform levels2
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
History
Opened8 October 2011; 13 years ago (2011-10-08) (Circle line)
28 August 2021; 3 years ago (2021-08-28) (Thomson–East Coast line)
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesThomson
Passengers
June 20245,765 per day[1]
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station
Marymount
towards Dhoby Ghaut or Marina Bay
 Circle Line Botanic Gardens
towards HarbourFront
Circle Line
Future service
 Bukit Brown
towards HarbourFront
Upper Thomson
towards Woodlands North
 Thomson–East Coast Line Stevens
towards Bayshore
Thomson–East Coast Line
Future service
 Mount Pleasant
towards Bayshore
Location
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Caldecott
Caldecott station in Singapore

Initially planned to be a shell station tentatively named Thomson, in 2008, the station was announced to be opened along with the Stages 4 and 5 of the CCL stations. The CCL station opened in 2011. In 2012, Caldecott was announced to be an interchange with the TEL. Although expected to be completed in 2020, the TEL extension to the station was delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore. The TEL station opened on 28 August 2021 along with the TEL Stage 2 (TEL2) stations.

The CCL station, which is a Civil Defence (CD) shelter, features The Cartography Of Memories by Hazel Lim. Another artwork, :)(: by Claire Lim, is displayed at the TEL station.

History

edit

Circle line

edit

When the Circle line (CCL) was initially planned, this station, tentatively named "Thomson", was planned to be a shell station. The station was to be opened only when the surroundings were more developed.[2][3] The contract for the construction of rapid transit system facilities for Thomson station was awarded to Taisei Corporation at a sum of S$391.59 million (US$231.68 million).[a][4]

The station was later announced to be opened with the Stage 4 CCL stations in 2008[3][5] and was renamed to "Caldecott" through a public poll.[6][7] The station opened on 8 October 2011.[8][9]

Thomson–East Coast line

edit
 
The former entrance of the station closed for the construction

Caldecott station was first announced to interchange with the 22-station Thomson line (TSL) on 29 August 2012.[10][11] Contract T213 for the design and construction of the TSL platform and associated tunnels was awarded to Samsung C&T Corporation at a sum of S$285 million (US$227.76 million) in July 2013. Construction started in 2014, with completion initially targeted to be completed in 2020.[12][13]

On 15 August 2014, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that TSL would merge with the ERL to form the TEL. Caldecott station, being part of the proposed line, would be constructed as part of TEL2, which consists of six stations between Springleaf and Caldecott. The station was the terminus of the TEL before the line extended to Gardens by the Bay station. Originally slated to be completed by 2021,[14][15][16] however due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the restrictions imposed on construction works led to delays in the TEL line completion, and the date was pushed to 2022.[17]

To facilitate the construction of the interchange station, Exit A of the station was permanently closed from 15 November 2020.[18] Due to the mixed ground conditions of soil and rock and the presence of groundwater, the TEL tunnels at Caldecott station were mined instead of the cut-and-cover method. This construction method also minimised disruption to a service road connecting to St. Joseph's Institution International school. About 160,000 cubic metres (210,000 cu yd) of rock was removed via electronic rock blasting.[19]

On 14 December 2020, it was announced that the opening of TEL 2 was delayed to the third quarter of 2021 so the rail system software for the line could be reviewed.[20][21][22] As announced during a visit by Transport Minister S. Iswaran at Caldecott station on 30 June 2021,[23] the station began operations on 28 August 2021.[24] Prior to opening of phase 3 of TEL, trains turnaround by using the cripple siding on the south end of the station.

Station details

edit

Services

edit

Caldecott station is an interchange station on the CCL and TEL. The official station code is CC17/TE9. On the CCL, it is between the Marymount and Botanic Gardens stations.[25] The station operates between 5:28 am and 12:30 am.[26] Train frequencies on the CCL range from 3.5 to 7 minutes depending on peak hours.[27]

On the TEL, the station is between the Upper Thomson and Stevens stations.[28] Train frequencies on the TEL range from 3 to 6 minutes.[29]

Location

edit
 
The site of Caldecott station, with the TEL station nearing completion

Located underneath Toa Payoh Link,[30] the station is near schools such as the Marymount Convent School, Lighthouse School and the Singapore School for the Visually Handicapped. It is also close to community and health-related centres such as the Assisi Hospice, Mount Alvernia Hospital, Orange Valley Nursing Home and the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH).[31][32]

Station design

edit
 
TEL platforms

Caldecott CCL station is one of eleven stations along the Circle line designated as CD shelters, which will be activated in times of national emergency. Apart from reinforced construction, the stations are designed and equipped with facilities to ensure the shelter environment is tolerable for all during shelter occupation. These facilities include protective blast doors, decontamination facilities, ventilation systems, power and water supply systems and a dry toilet system.[33]

The TEL station has a unique X architectural design.[34] The platforms are the deepest among the TEL2 stations at 35 metres (115 ft) deep, which are illuminated by natural light.[35] Located near the SAVH, the station has various several features that caters to visually impaired. This included greater colour contrasts at the station platforms and illuminated staircase handrails to enhance visibility. Wheelchair-friendly facilities for the station include backrests and handrails.[36][37]

Station artwork

edit

CCL artwork

edit
 
Caldecott station CCL platform level with the artwork on the lift shaft

The station features two artworks as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit (AiT) Programme, a public art showcase which integrates artworks into the MRT network.[38] The Cartography Of Memories by Hazel Lim is displayed on the lift shaft at the CCL platforms. The artwork depicts a cartographic map of the Thomson area, where the station is located, using written recollections from some 100 local residents and friends recalling their memorable experiences in Singapore.[39][40]

Originally, Lim proposed a collage of pictures depicting the station's surroundings, seen through frames such as grilles on a bridge or through a window. However, the Art Review Panel, in charge of the AiT programme, was not impressed with this idea, due to its lack of effectiveness on the vertical lift shaft. Realising the impact of the station's and line's construction on the surrounding landscape, the artist decided to capture people's responses towards this, using text as an artistic medium.[41] At the same time, the artist was researching faraway places on Google Maps for another artwork. Looking at the satellite view of Thomson, the artist saw the possibility of framing the area depicting the landmarks around the station. These two ideas were combined into the idea of mapping Thomson using written memories.[42]

After collecting the various responses from friends, relatives and LTA staff, Lim selected 40 unique recollections for the work.[40] As Lim fit the sentences of the recollections in the work, she put the more interesting recollections in the lower panels where they could be viewed up close by commuters. For more depth in the artwork, some of the words overlap to represent the developed areas, resulting in a map of "interweaving memories". The artist later explained that the fragmentation of the sentences reflects memories being fragmented as people move on, recalling only "bits and pieces" of such memories.[42]

Lim took up the suggestion from an LTA architect to print the 9.1-metre (30 ft) by 2.9-metre (9.5 ft) artwork without a background, so that the work could be seen in detail from the other side. When it was put up, however, the work was not clearly visible, so a manila background was used. The artist has considered other colours like grey or white, but find grey to be "too cold" and white to be "too stark". Manila, according to the artist, resembles the colours used on envelopes.[43]

This artwork is intended to be a reflection of Lim's response to life in the rapidly changing landscape of Singapore. Through this work, the artist addressed the notions of displacement and the creation of histories, maps and landscapes especially those linked to Singapore.[43] Observing the changes in Singapore, the artist portrays the memories that "slipped through" the gaps of the recent past.[40] In addition, through the concept of framing, the station surroundings could be seen through a less commonly used angle, also used in the artist's works.[43]

TEL artwork

edit

Claire Lim's artwork :)(:, a series of dot patterns that form smiley faces, is shown on the TEL platforms. The artwork was inspired by the station's location near the SAVH. The smiley dot patterns, based on Braille, are intended as a "cheery greeting" for commuters.[44][45][46]

Notes and references

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ The contract includes the construction and completion of the Adam and Farrer Stations, including 6.3-kilometre (3.9-mile) of twin bored tunnels, and rapid transit system facilities for Bukit Brown station.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Land Transport DataMall". Datamall. Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Stages 4 & 5 of Circle Line". LTA. 16 November 2005. Archived from the original on 9 April 2005. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b Cheong 2012, p. 46.
  4. ^ "Award Of Contract For Construction And Completion Of Adam And Farrer Stations". LTA. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Speech By Mr Raymond Lim At The Visit To Kim Chuan Depot on 25 January 2008, 9.00 am". Home – Archives Online. 25 January 2008. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Circle Line, Downtown Line 1 And 2 Station Names Finalised". LTA. 16 June 2009. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013.
  7. ^ "Haw Par Villa, Caldecott named as Circle Line stations". Today. 17 June 2009. p. 12. Archived from the original on 7 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Speech by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the Circle Line Opening Ceremony on 7 Oct 2011". www.mot.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 1 May 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Circle Line from Marymount to HarbourFront to open". www.mot.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  10. ^ Sim, Royston (29 August 2012). "New Thomson MRT line to open from 2019, and have 22 stations". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Thomson Line to open from 2019 with 22 stations". Channel NewsAsia (CNA). 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Caldecott Station: A New Interchange Connecting Thomson and Circle Lines". LTA. 25 July 2013. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  13. ^ Yong, Charissa (25 July 2013). "Caldecott station to be a new MRT interchange; $285 million contract awarded". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  14. ^ "Speech by Mr Lui Tuck Yew, Minister for Transport, at the Inspection of Downtown Line 1 Station and Announcement of Thomson Line alignment, 29 August 2012, 10.00am at Telok Ayer Station". Ministry of Transport. 29 August 2012. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  15. ^ "Joint News Release by the Land Transport Authority & Singapore Land Authority – Thomson-East Coast Line: New MRT Links in the East | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  16. ^ "LTA | Upcoming Projects | Rail Expansion | Thomson-East Coast Line". LTA. 23 August 2021. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Second stage of Thomson-East Coast Line to open early 2021 after delays due to COVID-19: Ong Ye Kung". CNA. 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 13 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  18. ^ "Caldecott MRT Station Entrance A Closure – Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped". Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped. 10 October 2020. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  19. ^ "'More than a day to bore through 10cm of rock': Making Stage 2 of the Thomson-East Coast Line a reality". CNA. 16 August 2021. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  20. ^ Ho, Grace (14 December 2020). "Stage 2 of Thomson-East Coast Line to be delayed by another six months to Q3 2021: LTA". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  21. ^ "Stage 2 of Thomson-East Coast Line to be delayed by another six months". The Business Times. 14 December 2020. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  22. ^ "Second stage of Thomson-East Coast Line further delayed to third quarter next year". CNA. 14 December 2020. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  23. ^ Abdullah, Zhaki (30 June 2021). "Second stage of Thomson-East Coast Line to begin operations on Aug 28". CNA. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  24. ^ Begum, Shabana (28 August 2021). "Commuters on first trains at new TEL2 stations reminisce about inaugural 1980s MRT rides". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  25. ^ "MRT System Map" (PDF). LTA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2020.
  26. ^ "Caldecott". SMRT Journeys. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  27. ^ "LTA | Transport Tools | MRT/LRT". LTA. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  28. ^ "MRT System Map" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  29. ^ "LTA | MRT/LRT". www.lta.gov.sg. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  30. ^ "Caldecott MRT Station". Google Maps. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  31. ^ "Caldecott Exits". SMRT Journeys. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  32. ^ "SMRT > Journey with Us > Trains > NetworkMap > Caldecott". SMRT Corporation Ltd. 4 February 2015. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  33. ^ Cheong 2012, p. 176.
  34. ^ Yong, Clement (15 May 2021). "Unique design features in upcoming stations on Thomson-East Coast Line". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  35. ^ Toh, Ting Wei (20 August 2021). "Unique designs, seats with backrest among features at new Thomson-East Coast Line stations". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  36. ^ Tan, Christopher (30 June 2021). "Stage 2 of Thomson-East Coast MRT Line to open on Aug 28". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  37. ^ "Factsheet: Thomson–East Coast Line 2 to Welcome Commuters from 28 August 2021". LTA. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  38. ^ Massot, Gilles (7 April 2020). "Getting Around – Public Transport – A Better Public Transport Experience – Art in Transit". LTA. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  39. ^ Martin, Mayo. "Circle Line Art! The final destination(s)! A sneak peek!". For Art's Sake!. TODAYonline Blogs. Archived from the original on 27 December 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  40. ^ a b c "Circle Line Art" (PDF). LTA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 February 2017.
  41. ^ Zhuang 2013, p. 110.
  42. ^ a b Zhuang 2013, p. 112.
  43. ^ a b c Zhuang 2013, p. 113.
  44. ^ "Banyan trees and bulbuls: How Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 2 stations were inspired by nature". CNA. 20 August 2021. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  45. ^ "Singaporean artists' works on show at upcoming TEL2 MRT stations". Yahoo News Singapore. 20 August 2021. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  46. ^ "Art in Transit". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2022.

Bibliography

edit
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Caldecott_MRT_station&oldid=1253530295"