There are many things in life that we come in contact every day.
Indeed we are so used to seeing them that we take them for granted. But no one
is able to predict what will happen in the future. As we progress into the 21st
century, things change very fast. One moment you see them, the next moment they
are gone forever.
This reminds
me of the railway system that runs through the heart of Singapore. Starting
from the railway station located in Tanjong Pagar, it traveled passed places
like Bukit Timah, Buona Vista, Kranji and finally to the Causeway in Woodlands
where it began its next phase of journey in Malaysia. Every day I would hear
the rumbling of the wheels on the metal rails, the sounding of the whistle warning
any passers-by that it is coming… Whenever I hear the whistle, my spirits will
rise with anticipation. I would run to take a peek at the train as it passed by.
.. Now these sounds will live in my heart.
Opened in 1932,
it was designed by P. S. Petrovich of the famous architect firm Swan &
Mclaren which also designed and built the other famous landmarks of Singapore
like Raffles Hotel and rebuilt the St. Joesph’s Church along Victoria Street.
The railway station was a special building in the heart of Singapore – it was
owned by Malaysia’s Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) hence the land was part of
Malaysia.
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| Tanjong Pagar Railway Station |
In the earlier days, the Malaysian custom was located in the station.
Travelers who were traveling to Malaysia by train had to clear Malaysian
customs first before they clear Singapore’s customs in Woodlands.
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| Train Schedule |
Alas, these
have all become history.The railway station was closed on 30 June 2011 and
moved to Woodlands checkpoint on 01 July 2011. The station is gazetted as
national monument. As the rails are being demolished, what will become of the
land where the trains once traveled?
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| Traditional Lock |
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| Time Stand Still... |
The moral of
the story: Cherish whatever you have now, especially those that are dear to
you, as they may be taken away from you anytime.
Goodbye old
friend. I will miss you.
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| Nostalgia ... |
