Tanjong Pagar Railway Station

Tanjong Pagar opened in 1932 as the southern terminus of the Malayan railway, an Art Deco building with a main hall lined in Italian marble and four allegorical figures on the facade representing agriculture, commerce, transport and industry. The land it stood on remained Malaysian territory until 2011, when the line was cut back to Woodlands and the station closed. It is a gazetted national monument and is being incorporated into a future MRT interchange.

Background

The station stands at 30 Keppel Road, and other names for it were Singapore railway station and Keppel Road railway station. Building work finished on 3 May 1932, and Sir Cecil Clementi performed the official opening. The large letters F M S R on the front stand for Federated Malay States Railways. Inside were 3 tracks, served by 1 island platform and 2 side platforms. Keretapi Tanah Melayu ran six KTM Intercity trains a day between here and Kuala Lumpur, and the terminus stayed in use for 79 years. The line had reached the area long before: between 1906 and 1907 it was pushed south from Tank Road to reach Tanjong Pagar and its wharves.

Source: Wikipedia, "Tanjong Pagar railway station"

Highlights

• The Art Deco hall - a marble-lined main concourse from 1932.
• The facade figures - four allegorical statues over the entrance.
• The platforms - the terminus platforms where the Malayan trains ended.
• The rail corridor - the old line north, now a green trail.

When to go

The station is closed most of the year and opens on selected public days, usually around national holidays; dates are announced in advance. The rail corridor outside is open year round. Checking before travelling is essential.

Practical notes

The building is closed for most of the year and construction work for the future MRT station affects access. Turning up unannounced almost always means a locked gate. The interior has been stripped of fittings.

Nearby

The Rail Corridor runs north, and Chinatown is northeast.

Key facts