Come 1 July 2011, there will be no trains leaving Singapore for Peninsula Malaysia from the historic Tanjong Pagah Station as the Malayan Railway (KTM or Keretapi Tanah Melayu) lines in Singapore will be closed for good. The Tanjong Pagah terminal building had been gazetted as a national monument, and with good reason. Opened in 1929, its art deco exterior is unique in Singapore architecture, as are Rudolfo Nolli's statues, allegories of Agriculture, Commerce, Transport and Industry. My last visit to this historical building was way back in 1977, having taken an overnight express to Kuala Lumpur. This recent visit with my son brought back some old irreplaceable memories.What will the building become after July 2011? A suggestion would be to house a Museum of Railways in Singapore, or a Museum about the good relations post independance between Singapore and her northern "Abang" (Big Brother), Malaysia. Given the prevalent tone of recent autobiographies of LKY and MM, the former is a more likely option.
Rudolfo Nolli's statues
The art deco arches
The interior with a small ticket booth (left)
Murals of daily Malayan life adorn the walls.
The Singapore-Malaysia timetable
Relics of a bygone era
Welcome to Malaysia!
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