View Full Version : Rail History
Singapore previously had a fairly big network of tramways and military railways. Map:-
http://members.lycos.co.uk/railsing/Singapore/Singmapmini.jpg
Website:-
http://members.lycos.co.uk/railsing/Singapore/
von Hirschhorn
18-04-06, 05:09 PM
Nice stuff GWR but are there any explanations for the first map?
The red lines are those former tramlines?
I know there were trams once – and trolley bus too - have some old postcards but not aware they were running as far as the railway ferry to Johor and later the causeway.
The red lines are roads as far as I know.
I'll take another look, but my reading is that there was a tramway to the ferry pier before the causeway was built. The eventual railway (after the building of the causeway) followed the same route as the tramway in the north of the island, but then hived off through Tanglin to Keppel Road. Meanwhile, the tramway proceeded through Newton and Tank road. The old tramway, the existing railway, various sidings, port spurs and military lines are shown with alternating white and black bands. It seems that the tramway only lasted about five years after the rail link to Malaysia/ Malaya. Some of the sections (separate from the railway) were converted into roadways. More in the link below. If you view this map from this webpage itself, it is larger and clearer than the image in my previous post:-
http://members.lycos.co.uk/railsing/Singapore/
There was also an isolated military railway out in the Changi/Pasir Ris area:-
http://members.lycos.co.uk/railsing/Singapore/changi41.gif
I have an old tramwaynetmap in my collection. If you like I can make a scan and send it.
von Hirschhorn
19-04-06, 04:41 PM
Looking forward Dick and thanks GWR.
I must admit that I read the story first after seeing the map in this thread.
Most there is explained although the steam trams and electric once are still a bit misty, however!
The eventual railway (after the building of the causeway) followed the same route as the tramway in the north of the island, but then hived off through Tanglin to Keppel Road. Meanwhile, the tramway proceeded through Newton and Tank road.No - in the "history" part (http://members.lycos.co.uk/railsing/Singapore/SRhistory.htm) they explain that the original (1903) rail terminus was at Tank Road. (Later extended to Pasir Panjang.) They then decided to change this and construct a new branch starting at Bukit Timah, going to the current Singapore terminus at Keppel Road/Tanjong Pagar, which was inaugurated in 1932. The Bukit Timah-Tank Road line (with a railway bridge crossing Orchard Road! (http://members.lycos.co.uk/railsing/Singapore/Train_crossing_Orchard_Road.jpg)) was subsequently dismantled.
Dick, it would be great to see that tramway map because the routes are not described on that website.
Dear forum members (Singapore fans)
The source of the tramway map is out of sight at the moment, so there will be some delay in making. Apologize.
Dick
There is a great tramway maps both of steam tramway & electric in DTS Publication Singapore-a History of Trams Trolleybuses And buses by F.W.York And A.R. Phillips ( 1996)
von Hirschhorn
16-05-06, 07:11 PM
Well Khun tram1 if you have that publication maybe you can produce a fine scan and put in on this side.
And Khun Dick; what means out of sight, lost in the dark corners of a bureaucratic system or did you took to much hay on the stack? (an old Dutch proverb)
The last is the reason......
The map I saw was an illustration (poor) for an article about tradelines in the city of Singapore in history. Give me some time.
I'm indeed very urious for the map mentioned! Scan?;)
Well Khun tram1 if you have that publication maybe you can produce a fine scan and put in on this side.
And Khun Dick; what means out of sight, lost in the dark corners of a bureaucratic system or did you took to much hay on the stack? (an old Dutch proverb)
I will scan both and send to the main man
Ric
That's what I ment; two very good maps. Thanks,
Dick
That's what I ment; two very good maps. Thanks,
Dick
The name of people is on the maps Credit where required to DTS Publications UK
Great stuff. Just thought I'd put the link in this string too:-
Vintage Singapore transit maps - May 22, 2006
Ric Francis send these maps: Singapore Steam Tramway http://www.2bangkok.com/06/Singapore%20Steam%20tramway.jpg
(178kb)
and Singapore Electric Tramway
http://www.2bangkok.com/06/Singapore%20electric%20Tramway.jpg
(208kb)
There is a great tramway maps both of steam tramway & electric in DTS Publication Singapore-a History of Trams Trolleybuses And buses by F.W.York And A.R. Phillips ( 1996)
Finally I have found the map. Not a surprise anymore. The map is an illustration in Tramway Review, March 2006, page 180 in the article: Centenary of Electric Trams in Singapore by Tilman Frasch. Nine pages with ten photos.
Hi all,
I am the site owner of the above-mentioned "railsing" web site, and found your forum while searching for more info. Many pages were updated last month to reflect the currently known information.
While researching this subject it has sometimes been difficult to separate fact from fiction and there have been several occasions when I have come across articles stating "facts" only to find later that some of them were based on "assumptions" which later proved incorrect. One example is the steam tramway to Kranji in 1885 - it was a plan for the future which, like many, never materialised.
The map on my site shows roads in red and railways in black/white and is crudely hand-drawn so in no way precisely accurate in positioning. Also, it shows most lines which are known to have existed at any time, but not necessarily at the same time, and to save space/memory I have not written dates of opening or closing on the map, but where known these are in the text. I have not shown any of the current metro lines or the old tram lines as maps of these appear elsewhere. Also missing are many of the industrial lines but there is a new section for these added last month.
Finally, if anyone has any further information or corrections please let me know so that I can update the site.
Regards
Malcolm
von Hirschhorn
08-10-06, 06:18 PM
… I am the site owner of the above-mentioned "railsing" web site, and found your forum while searching for more info…
Can you be more precise, this is the beginning of a new thread and nothing above. Make a link to your website and I can have a look ;)
I thougt GWR gave already on 4-16-2006 "a hint"
Interesting Map here showing some of the railway layout in Singapore in the early 1920s: -
http://dlxs.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=sea;cc=sea;sid=6c4a74904f5c974443e29be147808 207;q1=siam;q2=railway;op2=and;op3=and;rgn=pages;v iew=image;seq=1;idno=sea253
You will then have to 'Go to Page 38C'
Author: Federated Malay States Railway
Title: Federated Malay States Railways, 1921; pamphlet of information for travellers
Publication date: 1921
You can also scroll through the whole pamphlet. Lots of other maps, pictures, adverts etc.
http://members.lycos.co.uk/railsing/Singapore/
von Hirschhorn
09-10-06, 05:09 PM
Yes Dick, you're right, I (we) have seen this site before.
It's a bit confusing starting a thread without proper remarks. Well, all done now!:)
Yes Dick, you're right, I (we) have seen this site before.
It's a bit confusing starting a thread without proper remarks. Well, all done now!:)
er, but I didn't start the thread, my posting merely started the second page of an existing thread, I didn't intend any confusion. I hope you understand now.
The map quoted by GWR does not show the location of any stations which I find a bit surprising for a railway publication. There are some other good maps also.
von Hirschhorn
14-10-06, 01:25 PM
Oeps, sorry, sometimes you loose the thread in a thread I really thought you started a new one. Next time I'll look twice before calling.
This 1920 book from a Cornell University online collection provides an interesting map of downtown Singapore, complete with railway stations at Newton and Tank Road. Also dock branches and - I believe - tramlines. The whole book is an absolute delight, with numerous maps and descriptions of railways and other transport in the 'East Indies'.
A quick search of this collection will easily turn up several more travel guides of roughly the same era. By and by, I'll post some more in appropriate forums and threads: -
Author: Japan. Tetsud¯osh¯o
Title: An official guide to Eastern Asia v.5 East Indies 2nd Ed. Prepared by Japan's Dept. of Railways. Publication date: 1920
http://dlxs.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=sea;cc=sea;sid=58a2f86af6e296965049c02ffcb10 fb9;q1=siam;rgn=full%20text;idno=sea001;view=image ;seq=1
Then use the drop down menu to GO TO PAGE: 288: Map (As distinct from PAGE: 288)
Pictures of Singapore railway stations from a Cornell University online collection. Preceding pages also deal with the Federated Malay States Railway: -
Author: Wright, Arnold
Title: Twentieth century impressions of British Malaya: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources
Publication date: 1908
http://dlxs.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=sea;cc=sea;sid=18f02592e857972a6d7e99761487d ec9;q1=wright;rgn=full%20text;view=image;seq=1;idn o=sea233
Then, GO TO PAGE: 310-312 on drop down menu
It's easier to read the text if you set the drop down Scale menu to 'small'. Illustrations tend to dapple at this setting, so view them with the 'normal' setting.
Wow, this is an interesting work. On one of the maps I saw for the first time clear the province of Koko Nor; also in big type size the name "Soenda eilanden". In the Netherlands we have the "Grote" and "Kleine" Sunda Islands. Thanks GWR, I like to inform with small presents like this.
Author: Reith, G. M. (George Murray)
Title: Handbook to Singapore with map
Publication date: 1907
http://dlxs.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=sea;cc=sea;sid=18f02592e857972a6d7e99761487d ec9;q1=singora;rgn=full%20text;view=image;seq=1;id no=sea250
Map with further railway stations = Page A6B
Tramways description = Page 86
Singapore-Kranji Railway description = Page 87-88
Here's another map for the Singapore train & tram enthusiasts:
Plan de Singapour - Guide Madrolle, 1928
http://belleindochine.free.fr/images/Plan/122PlanSingapore.JPG
http://belleindochine.free.fr/images/Plan/122PlanSingapore.JPG
Do they still have the "Lunatic Asylum" as shown on the map, or has the whole city state become one?
There's too much info & illustration in both these links to make it possible to post the whole lot here:
http://goodmorningyesterday.blogspot.com/2007/07/singapore-kranji-railway-by-guest.html
# Newton Station was somewhere between Gilstead Road and Newton Road. The site is in front of the former Singapore Family Planning Board. This building still exists but for different use
# Cluny Station was at the Adam Road Food Center
# Holland Station was at the former public carpark where the Singapore Turf Club once stood. This public carpark is at the corner of Swiss Club Road and Dunearn Road
# Bukit Timah Station stood on the SHELL Station next to Pei Hwa Avenue
# Bukit Panjang Station is at the foot of Bukit Gombak and the Level Crossing at Choa Chu Kang Road. There is a KTM hut just behind the Bukit Panjang public carpark and the small canal next to Galistan Avenue
# Kranji Station next to Jalan Surau or the Kranji Water Reclamation Plant
# Woodlands Station at Admiralty Road West jetty (or the old Malaysian Naval Base area)
http://www.ktmrailwayfan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2372&highlight=
There's too much info & illustration in both these links to make it possible to post the whole lot here:
http://goodmorningyesterday.blogspot.com/2007/07/singapore-kranji-railway-by-guest.html
http://www.ktmrailwayfan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2372&highlight=
MalcolmWJones
15 Class
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 286
Location: Valencia, Spain
New postPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:11 pm Post subject: Tank Road to Tanjong Pagar line. Reply with quote
This line closed some 75 years ago but over the last few days I have been looking to see if any trace is left of it. Surprisingly, I have found that it is possible to walk almost the entire length of the old route. This is partly because new roads were built over the trackbed but in many places very little has been built and the original earthworks can still be seen.
From Penang Road through to Havelock Road the whole route has been covered by Clemenceau Avenue and the only evidence is the earthworks around Fort Canning. If you stand on the Oxley flyover (yes, there is a footpath across it) and look north you are looking at the site of Tank Road new station (1907-1933). If you turn round and look south you are looking at the site of the old station (1903-1907) which later became the goods yard and running sheds. South of Havelock Road there is a housing block which you can walk through the middle of (between 51 & 53) and you come to the east side of Pearl's Hill where Pearl's Hill Hostel appears to have been built along the trackbed. Beyond here the railway swung right slightly and crossed Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road at an angle of about 45 degrees, roughly opposite Kreta Ayer Road and entered what is now Duxton Plains Park where a footpath has been laid approximately over the trackbed and this curves gently to the left until it reaches Yan Kit Road. At the mid point of this section the path passes under Neil Road, via what may be an old railway bridge, but could be a metal raft inserted over a dipped level-crossing (the old line had 53 of these). After crossing Yan Kit road the line started to swing westwards passing through the site of the now disused Yan Kit swimming complex, across Cantonment Road and along where Cantonment Link is to the car park at Tanjong Pagar.
Non-specific link:
http://www.ktmrailwayfan.com/forum
Singapore railways:
http://searail.mymalaya.com/Singapore/index.htm
Malayan railways:
http://searail.mymalaya.com/KTM.htm
Indonesian railways:
http://members.lycos.co.uk/stepping_stones/PJKA/PJKA.htm
Railways in Thailand:
http://searail.mymalaya.com/Thailand/ThaiS.htm
This page has been temporarily closed for upgrading and relocation.
It should become available again during April 2008.
OK guys, you beat me to it.
The start of this thread mentioned my website and after I found your forum a year ago I joined. Since then a lot of water has passed under the bridge, I have retired and moved to Spain. At the same time my website became full and I could not update it easily so I made arrangements to move the site but Spanish internet is very slow (no phone lines in our village). Since I was planning a visit to Singapore/Malaya I waited for this and brought out a CD with me to hand to the provider of the new site, then found I could get broadband access easily here. The old site is still in existance (except for a few pages) but will no longer be updated. When I can access it again (if) I will try to put in re-direct links. In the meantime the new site, as you have already found, is up and running at http://searail.mymalaya.com/ and is being updated continuously at present. Having walked the old track alignment for the whole length between Newton Road and Tanjong Pagar, I am still having problems ascertaining the actual alignment between Orchard Road bridge and Newton. The F & N 1907 map shows the line midway between Cuppage Road and Emerald Hill road while another map I have shows it running along Emerald Hill road. The houses along both sides of Emerald Hill road have entrances facing the road and were built between 1904 and 1925 so having a railway line on the road, which appears wide enough could have been a pain for road users. In addition, the picture on my web site of Orchard Road bridge clearly shows it on the west side of the Paranakan House, which is still in situ today, so most evidence points to Emerald Hill Road as being the correct route, hoowever, this picture may not be a photograph though, so I looked behind the east side houses and there is also just about room there, as shown on the F & N map, although the new Centrepoint building is very close to the houses. New building works are going on the opposite side of Orchard Road and it is not possible to determine the exact position of the bridge from there. What we still need to find are proper survey maps which show the precise route of the railway and/or photographs of the railway in that area which will make it possible to locate the alignment precisely. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
I have now found the correct info requested in my above post and have updated my website text - pictures will be added later. Briefly, the line ran behind the houses fronting Emerald Hill road and much of the bridge at Neil Road is original. I obtained a number of maps to prove this alignment and also more photographs have turned up, including one of the original station taken from Fort Canning. I also have timetables for the period 1903 to 1909 and will start searching the archives for 1910 onwards tomorrow. These show that the original station was known as Singapore and not Tank Road, which only appeared from 1907. I first have to convert this data to a web page format before posting it.
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