During the bygone days when one could take a train from Tanjong Pagar Station into Malaysia, there were two spots on the route where the train crossed the north-south axis which is Bukit Timah and Upper Bukit Timah Roads. There were two iron truss bridges, the first was over Bukit Timah Road near Rifle Range Road or where King Albert Park MRT is now located, and the other was over Upper Bukit Timah at the 9-mile junction near The Rail Mall.
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| It's not such a long way to Tanjong Pagar. |
Constructed in 1931 by United Engineers, these two proud iron truss bridges remain a proud part of Singapore's history. They have carried no trains since 2011, when the Singapore-Johor railway line closed for good, and are now part of the rail corridor which stretches from Keppel Road in the south all the way northward into Woodlands. There are several old signs, and information boards which document this part of our heritage.
We were nearby, at The Rail Mall to enjoy a meal at Acqua e Farina when we took this short detour to see the Upper Bukit Timah iron truss brudge. This was one of the few spots where one could have a quiet meal and have a train trundle past several times a day. Pre-2011, we brought our son here to see the old KTM trains come and go while we enjoyed a pizza at the old Domino's which no longer exists.
We were, of course, reminded of the two inebriated students who sat on the tracks beyond the Upper Bukit Timah truss bridge in 2009 and got fatally mowed down by an oncoming train. We walked past the spot and did not notice anything amiss. Here are the photos taken on Saturday 18 July 2026.
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| It's safe to sit on the tracks now. |
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| Yip Yew Chong's scenes of old Bukit Timah on the outer wall of Acqua e Farina. |
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