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Apr 17, 2010

A History in Time - Circle Line MRT Station

MRT Circle Line's 11 new stations open to much fanfare
By Dylan Loh | Posted: 17 April 2010 2146 hrs (Channel News Asia)

Home News and more details from the Land Transport Authority.

The photos of the ramshackle, rickety buses in Singapore (1960) was the daily mode of transportation for the public.

Credit : National Archives of Singapore, PICAS

Eleven more Circle Line MRT stations in Singapore are opened today on April 17, 2010.

The websites to Channel News Asia "Home News" and the Land Transport Authority are linked above, so the colorful photos of the spanking new MRT stations are not displayed deliberately on this blog. The "now and then" daily lifestyle is intended to blog with shock therapy for fun among the young...unbelievable Singapore "nong nong ago".

For my elderly friends to reminisce how Singaporeans travel in public transportation over four decades ago, MRT was unheard of then. As a history in time, it was the past fashionable style...no such convenience, air-conditioned comfort, speed, time-saving and more seats on buses and trains.

The "rickshaw-puller station" waiting for passengers in Singapore (1939).


The quiz above of a "rickshaw-puller" on the road. The clue: The building in the background of the photo was formerly known as "General Post Office" in Singapore (1939).


Derek with his mother and younger brother on a "trishaw-rider" (the later version of "rickshaw-puller"). Photo Credit: Derek Tait



The "mata cheng teh kor" (In Hokien translated in Chinese "古早时代警察穿短裤". "Mata-mata" is Malay meaning policeman with "eyes to watch") of a policeman riding on a bicycle.

Most of my younger friends and some tourists remarked that the policemen were like boy scouts: "Olden days policeman wore shorts" ("古早时代警察穿短裤").

Photo Credit: Ian_Ything

The policemen in Singapore these days are smartly worn uniform with pants though.

The lifestyle, fashion, communication, transportation and the demand of the people have to be adapted and changed in every country to the needs and aspirations of every generation. So who says there are no changes, no remaking in every social skills as the world moves on with the advance in science, technology, education, trade and various business and enterprise. All of conditioned existence, without exception, is in a constant state of flux, as wise sages have taught.

Younger, able-bodied gracious commuters on buses and MRT would appreciate the courtesy and kindness movement to assist their elders, campaigns with or without.

It doesn't matter whether "Phua Chu Kang" or "Rosie Phua" are staring from their posters everywhere or TV ad screen; seen, unseen, or "transparently invisible".

That is a social change of commuter manners and behaviour, to give up their seats on public facilities, buses and trains, to those who need them more. No automatic sensor devices to give up their seats to the aged people. Only fellow commuters to assist them.

Related Post:

"Masuk Dalam, Masuk Dalam" by Lam Chun See, Peter Tan

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4 Comments:

Blogger Lam Chun See said...

James. Have you read the article that Peter and I wrote some time ago; Masuk Dalam? Also about the old bus system that we used to take as kids.

April 18, 2010 at 10:57 PM  
Blogger Thimbuktu said...

Thanks Chun See and Peter, the related post from "Good Morning, Yesterday" added to the blog.

April 19, 2010 at 12:02 AM  
Blogger Unk Dicko said...

Once a week, my late mother would travel in a trishaw from our Siang Lim Park home to Lorong 25 Geylang market. That was the largest open wet market in Geylang in 50's -70's.
She always had one of us to accompany her. I got to go many times as a kid...to and fro.
Enjoyed the ride v much but not carrying all the stuff she bought!

May 17, 2010 at 4:34 PM  
Blogger Thimbuktu said...

Hi unk Dicko,

Its so nice for you to ride frequently on a trishaw to the market once a week when young.

In the 1950s when I was 10 yrs old, I remembered I had a few times when I ride on a trishaw with my mother in Chinatown. It was a memorable fun experience on a trishaw. It was once raining and the elderly trishaw-rider wore a rain coat with a hood to cover his head. My mother and I were then covered with a thick brown canvas in front of our seat to keep us dry and dark inside. My mother and I couldn't see us while raining and only the trishaw-rider was riding on the road. Rain pitter-pattering on the roof of the covered trishaw like piped-in music, sound of the rain.

I think in those days there was no transparent plastic cover for the passengers travelling the trishaw in the rain ; )

May 19, 2010 at 7:18 AM  

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