Written by: Shina Tan
Singapore’s first major railway network, Bukit Timah Railway Station, is a historical phenomenon. In our grandparents’ time, the Bukit Timah Railway Station was very much like the Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) lines that we have today. In the early 1900s, the railway started from Bukit Timah and ran all the way to Tank Road. In the early 1920s, the railway was extended, connecting Singapore to the Malayan Peninsula. Upon establishment, the train service was sectioned into three classes. One-way, first-class tickets, which costs 56 cents, and third-class tickets, priced at 21 cents. These mere pennies were able to bring you from Singapore to Malaysia by train, revolutionizing the means of public transport back then.
Today, Singapore’s major railway network has been restored into an urban community space where lush greenery, historical artefacts, and railway tracks align. In remembrance of the old railway maintenance vehicles that were once on the railway tracks, there is a new, vibrant yellow service wagon, bringing people from all corners of Singapore for photos.
The restored Bukit Timah Railway Station features improved infrastructure but still retains the building’s initial aspects—the iconic ticketing window, brick walls, floor tiles, and even the original colours from the 1900s, which contributed to the rustic look and feel of the place. The station’s architectural narrative boasts its signal room, which was used to control train traffic in the past. Formerly a communal area where people purchased their train tickets, builders have replaced the walls and roof of the station with sustainable materials.
Specifically, perfectly-fitted timber roofs, metal underlayers, and added insulation.
The new improvements were made in a historically accurate manner, such that the 90-year-old building will withstand the test of time yet, introduce a sense of nostalgia to visitors.
Another trademark of Bukit Timah Railway Station is the Railway Staff Quarters. Previously a housing block for railway staff, it has been revamped into a homely cafe called “1932 Story” for visitors to enjoy and unwind. Moreover, vintage wooden furniture and décor are refurbished and found in their exact, original positions, embracing the authenticity of the Railway Staffs’ former homes. As a childhood home where family memories once abound, the Railway Staff Quarters now serves as a monument to honour these people who dedicated their lives to managing the railways and making Singapore’s first train service possible.
Just a stone’s throw away from the Railway Staff Quarters sit the Kampung Garden and the Herb and Spice Garden. The Kampung Garden preserves beautiful flora that epitomizes Singapore’s 1960s landscape. As for the Herb and Spice Garden, it contains commonly edible plants such as Siamese Ginger, Laksa Leaf, and Cili Padi, which are used to flavour home cooked meals by railway staff.
It’s all in the past; why do we have to know about Singapore’s first major railway network? Beyond Instagrammable spots and cozy cafes, Bukit Timah Railway Station is more than that. It’s a cultural landscape that inculcates Singapore’s heritage and fosters a national identity, bringing local communities closer together. The significance of Bukit Timah Railway Station lies in reminding us of who we are, how far we have come as a nation, and staying grounded and true to our roots.
It’s easy to get caught up in technological advances. Being born in an era where it’s a fast-paced world full of digital screens where bullet trains or high-speed rails are available, we tend to take what we have in the present day for granted. We forget that we’ve come from a generation of horse-drawn carriages, rickshaws, and bullock carts. Bukit Timah Railway Station has a unique history that has been brought to the present and will be passed down to future generations.
