My friend Koek Kai Bin and I love the MRT network in Singapore that opened on 7th November 1987. We like to spot for the different type of trains operating on the two mainlines in Singapore.
Airport Branch Line
editWhen the Changi Airport Branch Line (connecting between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport) was officially opened on 25th February 2002 by former cabinet minister Yeo Cheow Tong (who was then Minister for Information Technology). It is the MRT station in Singapore that serves tourists who have arrived to have a holiday in Singapore...
Driverless MRT Lines
editNorth East line
Even so, we like the driverless MRT lines such as Northeast line, Circle line and Downtown line. The first driverless MRT line was the Northeast line, was opened on 20th June 2003 (and operated by SBS Transit together with future Downtown line) when I was around 8 years old. When this MRT line first opened that year, all the 16 stations are opened except for Woodleigh and Buangkok stations that were still non-operational that time due to insufficient development in the vicinity and respectively opened on 15 January 2006 and 20 June 2011.
Circle Line
The Circle line was planned originally to be opened in 2006. But it was postponed to open in 2009 because of the Nicoll Highway collapse incident in April 2004 that killed four LTA workers who were constructing the Circle line train tunnel. This incident was caused by the Retaining wall that could not really handle the stress of holding up the tunnel and forcing it to give way. Finally on 28 May 2009, the Circle line was opened starting with train rides between Bartley and Marymount stations. All the Circle line stations are operational from 8th October 2011 onwards within the commemoration of its operator, SMRT Trains's pre-24th Anniversary since its inauguration in 1987.
Future MRT lines (Downtown line and Thomson-East Coast Line)
On 29 August 2012, the Transport Minister at that time Mr Lui Tuck Yew has announced the station names for the new Thomson line that is the 6th MRT line to open from 2019 onwards. It is the 4th driverless MRT line in Singapore after the Downtown line that will be open later this year as the second MRT line to be operated by SBS Transit after the Northeast line.
On October 6 2013, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew has announced that Downtown Line stage one will open on 22nd December 2013, Sunday. We are not sure if the upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line will be operated by SBS Transit or SMRT Trains until its announced by the Land Transport Authority or the Transport Minister. I had also found out that one of the MRT stations on Thomson-East Coast Line would serve my place at Upper Thomson where I live. The existing MRT station to my area is Marymont station along Circle Line. By the time when Thomson East Coast line opens from 2019, I would already be 24 years old. As for the other future MRT lines like Cross Island line and Jurong Region line, they were announced in January that year by then Transport Minister, Mr Lui Tuck Yew. But we dont know whether thay may be operated by SBS Transit or SMRT Trains until its fully announced by LTA or the Transport Minister who is Mr Khaw Boon Wan, since 1 Oct 2015.
Opening of the new Downtown MRT Line
We are very happy that the new Downtown Line was opened, respectively on 22 December 2013 (Stage 1) and 27 December 2015 (Stage 2) The new Downtown Line stations between Bukit Panjang and Bugis were offiicially launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently, and the first MRT section to be under Khaw Boon Wan. What we know is that when it comes to hearing MRT announcements in Mandarin along the Downtown Line, it only could be heard at the section between Hillview and Botanic Gardens station, as well as Little India, Bayfront and Chinatown stations. Even so, it also enables to Bukit Timah residents to go to town via MRT. The opening ceremony was attended by PM Lee together with Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office Josephine Teo and acting Education Minister (schools) Ng Chee Meng, as well as the other Bukit Timah residents and MPs including Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (who is also the Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources). Both Mrs Teo and this Mr Ng are the senior ministers of state for Transportation in Singapore.
The entire Downtown Line will also be completed by 2017 when the Tampines section opens. It will also commemorate the 30th anniversary of our 28-29 year old MRT system.
Double-line terminus stations
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Harbourfront MRT station
Harbourfront MRT station is the terminus station along the Northeast Line and Circle Line, which are the first two driverless MRT lines in Singapore, meeting at Serangoon MRT Station. On 8th October 2011, when the final stage of Circle Line was completed (in celebration of SMRT 24th Anniversary of Rail Services), this station became Singapore's first ever MRT station to serve as a terminus station between two MRT lines. It is the Permanent Double-rail Terminus station.
Marina Bay MRT station
Marina Bay MRT station is the ex-southern terminus station of the NS line and the Circle Line extension. When the Marina Branch Line (part of Circle Line) opened on 14th January 2012, it became the second MRT station to serve as terminus station between two lines, which was TEMPORARY. What I know is that the new terminus station, Marina South Pier was open on 23 November 2014.
Sungei Bedok MRT station
This one is the future MRT station along the Thomson East Coast Line, which is currently-under-construction. It will also be an interchange station with the extended Downtown Line. Even so, it will also be the second Double line terminus after Harbourfront station. The Sungei Bedok MRT station will be terminus station 12 on Downtown Line and 14 on Thomson East Coast Line. The nearby Changi Depot will also be the first ever 3-in-1 train depot in Singapore, as it will also serve as a depot along these 2 future MRT lines, apart from the existing East West and Airport Branch Lines.
Triple-interchange stations
editWhen the Circle Line section towards the city opened on 17th April 2010, Dhoby Ghaut MRT station became the first station to serve as an interchange station for 3 rail lines, which are NSL, NEL & CCL.
Outram Park MRT station
For Outram Park MRT Station along the E.W line and the North East Line, it will be the second MRT station to serve as an interchange station with 3 rail lines when the second stage of Thomson East Coast Line opens in 2020.
Marina Bay MRT station
Once the future Thomson East Coast Line gets completed by 2021, Marina Bay MRT Station will also be joining Dhoby Ghaut and Outram Park stations, serving as an interchange for 3 MRT lines too.
LRT lines in Singapore
editBukit Panjang LRT
On 6th November 1999, the first LRT line in Singapore was opened. It is located at the Bukit Panjang Area and it's the LRT line operated by SMRT LightRail and serves commuters/residents between Choa Chu Kang MRT station and Bukit Panjang Ring Road.
Sengkang Punggol LRT
On 18th January 2003, Sengkang LRT was officially opened by then Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong, together with the new Sengkang Bus Interchange. Even so, it started with Light Rail services on the East Loop along Sengkang East Avenue. The West loop opened two years later in 2005, together with the Punggol LRT line. This is the LRT line in Singapore that is operated by SBS Transit together with Northeast Line and Downtown Line.
Sentosa Express LRT
Opened in January 2007, the Sentosa Express monorail is the only LRT line in Singapore that is neither operated by SBS Transit nor SMRT. It is operated by another company called Sentosa Development Corporation and serves commuters between VivoCity (near Harbourfront Doublerail Terminus station) in Mainland Singapore and Palawan Beach in Pulau Sentosa. Even so, it can help commuters/tourists to travel towards Resorts World Sentosa and Universal Studios Singapore.
Former terminus stations
editThere are two MRT stations that used to serve as terminus stations along the elevated track. They are Yishun and Boon Lay MRT stations..
Boon Lay MRT station
editOpened in July 1990, Boon Lay MRT station served as the Westernmost terminus station for just 2 decades, before the opening of Pioneer and Joo Koon MRT stations in 2009. It was terminus station number 2 between August 2001 and 28 February 2009 when Joo Koon MRT station took over as terminus 2 from this station.
Yishun MRT station
editYishun MRT station opened in December 1988 and it used to be the northernmost terminus station before 11 February 1996 when Woodlands extension (heading towards Choa Chu Kang) was opened. Currently, it sometimes serves as terminus station for some northbound trains during the evening peak hours or they will terminate at Jurong East MRT station Platform A (Northbound peak-hour platform)
vandalized MRT trains
editThere were 4 MRT trains (same colour but different batch) have been vandalised a few years back--They are train sets 047/048, 311/312, 531/532 & unknown set.
On 17th May 2010, a C151 train set 047/048 was vandalised by a graffiti artist named Oliver Fricker and his buddy Alexander Lloyd who trespassed into Changi Depot, by cutting a hole through a fence. Then a few days later, it was discovered with graffiti on carriage number 1048 on 18th May 2010, when it was heading westbound, after departing Kembangan MRT station. The graffiti has since been cleaned off and the case was handed over to the police.
A year later on 17th August 2011, a C751B train set 311/312 was found vandalised at Bishan Depot, as its second time in history. During the peak hour, when that train was heading northbound towards Jurong East. The case was handed over to the police but it has been unknown who had vandalised that train. The graffiti has also since been removed.
A third vandalism incident happened at the Bishan Depot in May 2014. the third vandalised train is a C151A set 531/532. So far, No one has been caught yet. The authorities are still investigating that incident.
A fourth vandalism incident also took place at the Bishan Depot. This time it involved a C151 train but unknown set by two German men who trespassed into the Bishan depot through the network of drains and canals underneath the depot.