Sponsored Event: Trip to Tanjong Pagar Railway Station on Saturday, 21 May 2011

Sponsored Event

When was the last time you saw a train? No, I’m not referring to our SMRT trains! :P A train such as the one shown in the photo below, up close. Until Saturday, 21 May 2011, I have never been to the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, a railway terminus owned by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). Yup, I’m a suaku (pronounced “sooah-koo”, literally meaning “mountain tortoise”, denoting a person who does not know much about the happenings around him/her), and hardly the explorer! The fact that my office is located very near Tanjong Pagar makes it all the more embarrassing, eh?

Part 1 – Official Tour

Most of you would have probably heard by now that the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station will be relocated to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint from 1 July 2011 (which is less than a month from now!). The existing Station, which also happens to be our newest National Monument, will be closed to the public for conservation works from July. Since the announcement of its relocation, the number of visitors have increased significantly – photography aficionados, people catching final rides at the Station, and others who simply visit for a good meal. Thanks to Yesterday.sg, I Love Museums and the Preservation of Monuments Board, I had the opportunity to go on a special tour at the Station with the same friends I met on the visit to the ArtScience Museum in March this year.

That Saturday, we made our way to Keppel Road, where the Station is located, and met with the group early in the morning. There were two guides for the tour – we were split into two groups, about ten of us in each group. Here’s part of the group I was in – the tall lady in pink is Roseanne, our soft-spoken guide. We were standing just outside of the entrance to the Station…

…right here. :) The architecture is beautiful!

Roseanne started by explaining the design of the building. Built in the early 1930s to facilitate transport between Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, the Station’s design contains elements of Art Deco (yup, geometric shapes!). I recall Roseanne showing us some photos of stations which our Station was modelled after, one of them being the Helsinki Central Railway Station. Swan and MacLaren Architects (then known as Swan and MacLaren), the oldest architectural firm in Singapore and the most prominent one in the early 20th century, were behind the project.

If you look at the photo above, you’ll see that there are eight-pointed stars on the ceiling. Made of two intertwined squares, the eight-pointed star symbolises balance, harmony and cosmic order. Here’s a close-up on one. It was the first time I noticed the eight-pointed star.

The designs on the arch doors, possibly my favourite part of the architecture, are simply exquisite.

Beautiful eight-pointed stars adorning the arch doors.

We then headed outside, around the side of the building, where Roseanne directed our attention to the green Eastern-style roof. Do you see it?

I thank my megazoom for this shot!

We went round to the front of the building, where Roseanne showed us the four white marble statues depicting Agriculture, Commerce, Transport and Industry. The designer behind these sculptures is Rudolfo Nolli, who also designed the marble decorations of our Old Supreme Court Building (very interesting bit for us legal people!).

Here are close-ups on the four sculptures. I feel like Robert Langdon, looking at them. And I wish I took a better photo of the front of the building – totally forgot to take another shot before I left!

Agriculture

Commerce

Transport

Industry

We headed back to where we came from – the entrance to the cool interior of the Station.

Here we are, inside the Station.

The Ticket Counter

Train Schedule mounted on a wall

Royal Malaysian Customs 

See how high the ceiling is? Light streams in from the tall glass windows. In case you were wondering, “FMSR” stands for Federated Malay States Railways. You also see FMSR at the entrance of the Building, above each of the four white marble sculptures.

On the other walls, high up near the ceiling are intricately tiled works of art depicting Malayan economy.

Time to head to the platform!

Out on the platform, I noticed a banner that read “Service with a Smile” - it was ironic that a lady came out of the office on the left and started shouting at us in the middle of the tour, something along the lines of how we weren’t supposed to be standing there on the platform. She appeared to be very angry, uh oh. No Smile, for sure, LOL. For some reason, non of us said anything to Roseanne, who was intently explaining something, oblivious to the lady shouting right behind her (“YES, I am talking to you!” – ignored). Well, just for the tour, we had permission to access the departure platform, but maybe we were straying slightly beyond the boundary.

Looking out over the tracks. On the opposite side of the platform, are the eateries. Did you know that the platforms are 1,200 feet long? When I was taking this photo, I was secretly afraid of falling onto the tracks, causing much embarrassment and landing myself in danger. I guess it pays to be careful. You never know!

The tracks

Sounding like the suaku I am, I told Skye that it was the first time I saw hydraulic buffer stops.

Made by Ransomes & Rapier, railway equipment specialists.

When I first saw this, I thought it was just a few chairs arranged in a haphazard manner, with some plants thrown in. Before you call me shallow, I’ll admit that I didn’t manage to catch what Roseanne said about this piece save that it was used for inspection of the railway tracks. They don’t use it anymore, though.

The tour ended (rather abruptly, we thought) on the platform and we filled out feedback forms for Roseanne. And what better way to mark the end of a tour than with a photo of us and the guide? :P Here’s yours truly, Roseanne, Belinda and Pei Yun. We were looking at Shaun, who took the shot squatting down so that we’d all look super tall (not that Roseanne needed any help!). Skye took this photo at the same time using my Canon. I had on my blue madras plaid shirt from Uniqlo, which I absolutely adore (I even bought a green one last weekend!).

After the tour, we ventured to the other side of the platform (remember, the eateries’ side) and took some more photos.

Oh look, train arriving!

See how weathered the tracks are?

Since we were already at the Station, some of us decided to grab some breakfast at the eateries.

Nasi Briyani fanatics will be familiar with the famous Nasi Briyani sold at the Station. I was told by Skye that many office executives from around the area would rush to the Station during lunch hour just to buy Nasi Briyani. If you ask me why I have no idea (I’m a Legal Executive working near Tanjong Pagar), it’s because I don’t step out of the office in daylight. I lunch in every day (well, 99% of the working year). Pei Yun ordered a mutton Briyani and Belinda had a chicken Briyani. Doesn’t it look delicious? For SGD6, you get a humongous plate. All of us had a great time just chilling out there, discussing the latest art exhibitions and other places worth exploring our fine country.

Me, Pei Yun and Belinda after breakfast. We were going to part ways when Belinda asked if we were keen to walk around to the back of the building, to the end of the platforms where a Singapura sign awaits. Again, since we were already there, why not? :)

Part 2 – “Private” Err… “Tour”

As we walked out of the Station, around its side and towards the back, it started to drizzle. The sides were fenced, and we looked out for any incoming trains for snaps.

Looking through one of the many circles in the fence.

I put my camera lense through the circle. Be careful if you’re going to do this, because the sides of my lense got a little dirty.

Train arriving!

I feel like a stalker. Hawhawhaw.

The train’s really beat-up. But I think it’s charming that way.

Stalkerrr.

When we reach the end of the platform, we saw the Singapura sign which Belinda was talking about. :)

Read this part at your discretion because we weren’t supposed to be there. There wasn’t any “No Entry” sign; obviously we didn’t know the area was restricted. Since I took photos, I might as well share them with you here.

Belinda waved and the guy waved back, LOL!

For some strange reason, I like this photo very much.

As we made our way along the path, we spotted a… house. Were there people living in it?

More houses! Probably staff quarters, or something.

The rooster made us feel like we were in a rural area.

A recreation club

That’s Belinda with her I ❤ MUSEUMS brolly. When we reached the end of the road and stopped near one of the houses, a man leaned out of the window on the second level and told us nicely that we weren’t supposed to be there. He explained that the Station’s staff reside in the houses and the entire area is restricted. We thanked him and turned to head back to the Station.

Heading back to where we came from…

But of course not without snapping a shot with the I ❤ MUSEUMS brolly, LOL!

Okay, something funny. Someone wrote “BALA” on one of the pillars. We made a joke of how we should add ❤ MUSEUMS to the pillar, so that it would read BALA ❤ MUSEUMS. Or BALA ❤ JADE - hahaha!!! That’s crazy, aight. We ain’t vandalising anything. And we’re not going to leave any clues as to who vandalised the pillar *cough* museum fanatics *cough*.

And that marks the end of our “private tour”! For those who are interested in reading more, here’s Pei Yun’s take on the trip. According to the Preservation of Monuments Board, all special tours are fully booked. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t drop by for a walkabout on your own (and have some delicious food while you rest)! ;) It’s nice to have a guide to tell you about the history, but it can be equally fun on your own (see: Part 2 – “Private” Err… “Tour” above).

I wonder what they’ll do to the Station? It’d be cool if they turn it into a museum of sorts, or even an entertainment complex. Any of you been to the Station lately? Share pics! :)

J

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Tags: Agriculture, Art Deco, Commerce, Eight-pointed star, Events, Federated Malay States Railways, FMSR, Helsinki Central Railway Station, History, I Love Museums, Industry, Keppel Road, Keretapi Tanah Melayu, KTM, Nasi Briyani, National Monument, Platform, PMB, Preservation of Monuments Board, Ransomes & Rapier, Rudolfo Nolli, Sponsored, Station, Swan and MacLaren, Tanjong Pagar, Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, Train Station, Trains, Transport, Uniqlo, Yesterday.sg