Late night observations on the new Circle Line

The opening of Phase 2 of the Circle Line, the latest addition to the MRT network, on the 17 of April 2010, was met with a huge "Finally!" by many Singaporeans.

This is because Phase 2, consisting of 11 additional stations from Tai Seng to Dhoby Ghaut, made the Circle Line finally useful.

Phase 1, consisting of five stations -- Bartley, Serangoon, Lorong Chuan, Bishan and Marymount -- felt like a tease, like the public transport system showing us some leg, but never showing us the rest of her sexy body. 

Why were we are so thrilled to see this part of the Circle Line open?

Late night Circle Line riders

North-South connect

First of all, you can now connect from the North-South Line to the East-West Line easily via Paya Lebar Station, instead of traveling all the way south to the city and then back east.

Secondly, those living in the northeast of Singapore can now travel from areas like Serangoon and Bartley to downtown Suntec City in a jiffy, to perform their national duty of adding to the shopping masses there.

And lastly, those living in the north of Singapore, like Bishan, are relieved to see less passengers on the North-South Line. Maybe now we can smell less rush hour B.O., they must be thinking.

I have to come right out and state that I have a vested interest in seeing this MRT line open completely. First of all, I live in the northeast. Secondly, one of the stations to be opened in Stage 4 and 5 is called Bukit Brown station. However, we are told this is a provisional name and the station will also NOT operate when that part of the line opens. 

I am rightly indignant about this, of course. Sure, I know Bukit Brown (or Brown Hill) is currently a cemetery and nobody lives there (not, er, regular people, anyways) but surely we can still let it open? I promise to ride and disembark there at least once a week, even if I have no reason to go there.

Circle of life

I took a ride on the Circle Line when Phase 2 opened on April the 17th. I had nothing better to do on a late Saturday night anyway. I had finished with Part 4 of HBO's The Pacific -- slightly better than Part 3, less talk, more action. I have the sneaking feeling that Band of Brothers is still the better series.

I was not the only passenger with a camera. Every other person had a camera and was taking photos. It was like a new baby, everyone wanted a snapshot.

I got on at Serangoon Station and took it to Stadium Station. The SMRT staff onboard told me the two nicest stations were Stadium and Bras Basah. I wanted to see these award-winning stations for myself.

Stadium Station was impressive. Sure it was located in the middle of nowhere (you use it to get to the National Stadium) but that did not mean it should not look grand. Long escalators take you deep into its cavern-like platform and giant footballers welcome you at the entrance with their banana kicks.

Stadium station stairway

One thing I noticed was that you had two escalators going up but none going down. So you had to take the very long staircase down to the platform level. Maybe they wanted us to get some exercise. This is the Stadium Station after all.

Back on the train, I headed southward towards the city. I spoke to another SMRT train staff and asked him how the first day has been. "Busy," he said, giving me a tired smile.

I got off next at Promenade Station, the one near Suntec City. This is a confusing mess of a station. The first sign of confusion? The trains in each direction had to be boarded on different levels. You can't miss this station because it is the only one with the distinctive silver sculpture that is supposed to look like giant silver water drops.

I later showed my Mom the photo I took and even she said it looked like a shiny used condom.

I wandered around Promenade a little to see how I would get to the Bay area malls, and then hopped back into the train. This time, I was accompanied by a big French family on holiday. Their kids rushed to the front of the train to look at the tunnel, together with some local kids. The father of the family later smiled and said to me in a heavy French accent, "You have very nice trains here in Singapore!"

Pride in the line

I smiled and said proudly, as if I had a hand in building it, "Yes, this line is brand new!"

I wanted to say to him, "Your Paris Metro is pretty solid too, connecting the city so tightly with its 16 lines!"

The Paris Metro may be older, but it certainly has character. Sometimes I think our stations, while new and swanky, lack a little of that old school feel.

The French family and I got off at Bras Basah Station, near the Singapore Art Museum.

You can't really tell from inside but when you get out, you realize that you can look into the station via a cool water-filled skylight.

People look like shimmering ghosts walking below, and you can make out the escalators that service the deepest station of the line. Good luck climbing your way out from basement 5, should the escalators fail at this 35-metre deep station.

I walked around the Bras Basah area for a bit before returning to the station to make my way back home. I have a nice cushy ride home and a little time to plot: How to make Bukit Brown Station the creme de la station of the Circle Line?

After all, it is not every day you get to boast that people use a station accidentally named after you.