PY blogs about her visit to the SMRT depot at Bishan during the SMRT Open House last weekend.
I remember riding back and forth between Yio Chu Kang and Toa Payoh the day - a Saturday - the MRT opened. It was so packed. Yet, so fun. It seemed truly amazing. Those born after the MRT started running have no idea what it was like to suddenly have a new mode of transport.
Sadly, I eventually threw away the commemorative ticket in one of my room clear-outs. They don’t even use those magnetic tickets any more!
Perhaps we SMRT and SBStransit should look into creating a Transport Museum?
Oh! I hear the Civil Defense sirens. It’s Total Defence Day. Remember to commemorate it.
UPDATE PY has updated her entry with photos of the commemorative ticket!
Screenshot from PY’s Places.
Technorati Tags: smrt, mrt, mass rapid transit, transportation, urban, train, metro, subway, singapore
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I remember that day the MRT opened clearly too!
I remember the first generation MRT tickets (aunties and uncles and many kids liked to call it the MRT Card). It had two magnetic strips at the back of it, and you couldn’t put it near any magnets else you’ll get trouble at the gates.
I remember that it costs $2 to get out of the gates if you lose your ticket.
And it’s 50 cents plus the fare difference if you underpay.
And students had a red ticket. 30 cents a trip. Since the ticket costs $5, the last trip was a bonus because it costs only 20 cents.
I remember, in 1988/9, I took the MRT to school, from Bishan to Novena. And 80% of the time I’ll see you waiting for the train. I know who you were, but we didn’t know each other formally until you joined the servers. If I’m not wrong you took the train to City Hall or something? And back then, during phase II of the initial MRT opening, the train ran only one line from Yio Chu Kang to Outram Park.
I remember.
Yes, I used to take the train to City Hall. I would walk though Raffles City, past old CHIJ, turn to Victoria Street where Saint Anthony’s Boys’ School was located. It beat taking the old 58 route.
Those tickets… the single trip ones were green. There was a big white arrow on it, showing which way to put it into the turnstiles (which didn’t turn, but opened and closed). Also, a small hole on the top left hand on the ticket, presumably for those with impaired vision.
Eventually, the strips were embedded into the cards. Then they got rid of the arrows, releasing tickets with different artwork on it. They became collectible, like stamps.
50 cents got an adult passenger from Bishan to Toa Payoh (maybe even to Novena). The top priced ticket when the North-South and East-West lines finally opened was just above $1.
It looks like we have a topic to reminisce about. I wonder if anyone still keeps a copy of the commemorative card.
Kenneth, I was pleasantly surprised that my mother has a copy of the commemorative card. I took a photo of it and will be republishing my SMRT Bishan Depot post to include it. Maybe that may get people to blog about their experiences on the SMRT train twenty years ago.
Man…. its amazing that even the MRT has now become something heritage. Its really scary isn’t it? How time flies so quickly and before you know it, wham, bam and you are six feet under… Shudder…
Speaking of scary, I am sure all of you would have heard about Bishan or Novena MRT stations and their haunting claims to fame right?
@ walter Living, moving heritage! It’s the pace of change here. We also get nostalgic about buses too. They certainly have been through many changes over the years.
It’s a good thing that we recognise relatively new developments like the MRT though. The fast rate of change, I think, causes us to have short memories. Once something exists, it seems like its always been there. Especially since we don’t have reference to what used to stand there, as in the case with physical places and spaces.
Heh, I’m rambling.
Kenneth, I think I would need time to get myself familiarised with tools like Fleck Toolbar. It looks quite cool. For now, I shall use the basics first.