A Passenger Train Leaving Tanjong Pagar Railway Station

On leaving the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, a Malaysia-bound train will first travel against the traffic flow on Keppel Road before cruising alongside the Ayer Rajah Expressway in a northwesterly direction.

Location where this photograph was taken (106 Spottiswoode Park Road):

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Another Passenger Train Leaving Tanjong Pagar Railway Station

The blocks of HDB flats in the background are Blks 111, 113 and 115, Bukit Purmei Road.
They are visible from Keppel Road next to the Railway Station.

Location of Blk 113, Bukit Purmei Road:

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At Kampong Bahru Flyover

The first bridge/flyover that a Malaysia-bound train passes is the Kampong Bahru Flyover. The blocks of HDB flats in the background are Blks 104-107 Spottiswoode Park Road.

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At Kampong Bahru Flyover at Night

The train codenamed 'Senandung Sutera' leaves Tanjong Pagar Railway Station every night at 22:30 hrs.

Blk 17 Telok Blangah Crescent

After passing the Kampong Bahru Flyover, a Malaysia-bound train will pass by blocks of flats from the Jalan Bukit Merah area before going under the Lower Delta Flyover.

With Telok Blangah housing estate on the left and Henderson industrial estate on the right sides of the Malaysia-bound train, it will then go past the Henderson Flyover.

From the 30-storey Blk 17 Telok Blangah Crescent, one can see trains passing under the Henderson Flyover.

Perpendicular to the Henderson Flyover is the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) which runs alongside the railway. It is here where the AYE splits into the Central Expressway (CTE) and the East Coast Parkway (ECP).

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Henderson Flyover

From the Henderson Flyover, one can see the imposing thirty-storey Blk 17 Telok Blangah Crescent in the background.


Location where this photograph was taken:

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Depot Road

After passing the Henderson Flyover, a Malaysia-bound train continues alongside the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) with Depot Road on its left and Bukit Merah Central on its right.

There are many pedestrian overhead footbridges along the AYE that span across the railway track as well as the expressway. From one such bridge at Depot Road, one can see the trains with the stocky Defence Technology Tower A in the background.

Location where this photograph was taken:

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Jalan Hang Jebat

After Depot Road, a Malaysia-bound train continues alongside the Ayer Rajah Expressway until Gillman Flyover at Alexandra Road, where it diverges from the AYE and continues northwards. Here, it passes the Alexandra Hospital on its right before traveling past Jalan Hang Jebat, a well-concealed road that is off the beaten track.

There is a Muslim mosque known as Masjid Hang Jebat at Jalan Hang Jebat. During the Muslim Haj period, this charitable mosque gives out free food to anyone, regardless of Muslims or otherwise - a Muslim uncle who saw me waiting for trains actually persuaded me to go get some free food there. I politely turned him down as I thought someone else needed it more than I did.

From Jalan Hang Jebat, one can see Blks 19-22, Queen's Close in the background.

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Queensway Flyover

After passing Jalan Hang Jebat, a Malaysia-bound train will go under the Queensway Flyover and emerge on the left-hand-side of the Blessed Sacrament Church on Commonwealth Drive.

From the Queensway Flyover, one can also clearly see the colorful Blk 55 Commonwealth Drive in the background.

Location where this photograph was taken:

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Peekaboo at Woking Road

Directly opposite the Blessed Sacrament Church is Portsdown Road area. From Woking Road near Portsdown Road, one can see trains appearing peekaboo among the thick vegetation.

The tall block of flat in the background is Blk 23A Queen's Close.

Interestingly, it was observed that, from Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands, many parts of the railway tracks are well concealed by thick vegetation. It could be a way to keep people out of the railway tracks without building fences. I reckon that is also the reason why few Singaporeans notice the existence of railways and trains in Singapore.

Location where this photography was taken:

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Train vs Train

As a Malaysia-bound KTM train leaves behind Commonwealth Drive and Tanglin Halt Road, it will meet the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) train/track for the very first time at the junction of North Buona Vista Road and Commonwealth Avenue near the Buona Vista MRT Station.

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Ghim Moh Estate

After a Malaysia-bound train passes under the MRT track near Buona Vista MRT Station, it will emerge between Ghim Moh estate on its left and Holland estate on its right, next to North Buona Vista Road. Here, a moving train will be visible to pedestrians and motorists traveling along North Buona Vista Road.

From the top of the 34-storey Blk 18B Holland Drive, one can see the twining railway track meandering on the periphery of Ghim Moh estate, with Mount Sinai estate in the background.

Location where this photograph was taken:

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Overhead Bridge at East Sussex Lane


Many of those who used to study in Raffles Junior College in the 1980s to 1990s would have used this overhead bridge to get to school every day. Some would have seen trains passing under this bridge at one time or another.

In the background is the 34-storey tall Blk 18C Holland Drive.


Location where this photograph was taken:

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The Former Raffles Junior College

After navigating through Ghim Moh Estate, a Malaysia-bound train will cruise past the former Raffles Junior College on its left, before going under Holland Road near Cold Storage Jelita.

From this stretch onwards until the quaint and charming Bukit Timah Railway Station, the railway tracks are well concealed by the heavy forestation along the tracks. One can only catch a glimpse of the trains and track near Ewart Park, off Holland and Ulu Pandan Roads, before the Malaysia-bound train reaches Bukit Timah Railway Station.


Location where this photograph was taken:

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Control Levers at Bukit Timah Railway Station

These control levers at Bukit Timah Railway Station allow the Station Master to control the railway signals as well as to switch tracks in the vicinity of the Station.

Key Token Post at Bukit Timah Railway Station

At the Bukit Timah Railway Station, the Station Master would receive a Key Token from an incoming train. This old-fashioned practice is still in place to ensure that at any one time, there is only one train on the single-track railway within Singapore.

A Key Token being placed at Bukit Timah Railway Station

A Key Token is being placed at the post by a Malaysia-bound train approaching the Bukit Timah Railway Station.

A Train leaving Bukit Timah Railway Station

A Train on the Railway Bridge along Bukit Timah Road

After a Malaysia-bound train leaves the Bukit Timah Railway Station, it will go across Bukit Timah and Dunearn Roads via a railway bridge, first of four overhead railway bridges from Bukit Timah to Woodlands.


Location of this bridge:

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Chugging along Rifle Range Road

After crossing the overheard railway bridge across Bukit Timah and Dunearn Roads, a Malaysia-bound train will cruise along Rifle Range Road. Here, one can get as close as a metre to two to a passing train.


Location where this photograph was taken:

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