Tanjong Pagar Railway Station (Part 1)

After the successful conclusion of talks between the Prime Ministers of Singapore and Malaysia last year, Tanjong Pagar Railway Station would cease operations this July. The new station, which will be the new terminus for trains coming from Malaysia, is to be located at Woodlands checkpoint.

I’d been wanting to visit the station for a long time, but never got down to it. In fact, the announcement of the breakthrough talks gave me fresh impetus to visit it, but it took me till December before I finally made my way down for a quick morning shoot.

This was also the first time I shot with my new Nikon AIS 35mm f1.4 lens, paired with the F6. As expected, manual focusing with the F6 was easy. The image quality was excellent too, judging from the scans. It could be my one-lens travel solution with the F6 (if I ever dare to venture with just a film camera in hand, that is). More reading material about the lens here.

I sneaked onto the platform, not knowing that I was not allowed in. I actually walked all the way to the end (I think the platform is about 200m long) before a station master rode his bicycle down the platform and asked me to leave. I managed to get a concession from him though – to take this picture and the next.

There were people inside the police post, and I think they saw me walk down the platform, but didn’t stop me. Haha. So much for security.

Welcome to Singapura! This is probably my favourite shot of the day. I’d actually wanted to take it from the inside, but as mentioned, I got chased out. I took it from the road that runs parallel to the platform. The blurry black marks are there because I shot through the fence.

A lazy cat trying to sleep on the platform. In the background is the Orient Express, the luxury train that runs all the way to Bangkok. I hope to take it one day.

One of the two coffeeshops located inside the station. I don’t know why there are two though. Both seemed to be filled with customers when I visited.

A man buying a train ticket from the counter.

Travellers dressed in spiffy suits and dresses enquiring about their Orient Express trip.

The check-in sign at the station entrance. You don’t want the Orient Express customers to get lost! They paid good money for their ride.

Colour photos to come in the second part… ;)

Addendum: Part 2 can be found here.