Singapore's Lost Railways Hunt EP3 - Gul Circle's Tuas South Extension (?)

Gul Circle MRT Station is the tallest elevated MRT Station in Singapore with 2 levels of platforms stacked on top of one another, but why are half of the platforms not in use? Where were those tracks originally planned to take us to?
Watch Part 1 here: • Singapore's Lost Railw...
Huge shoutout to ‪@bananasolid‬ for the awesome MRT map animations that he made for this episode!

[@axan50transportproductions]

I always wondered why Gul Circle was configured like that. I initially thought it was for the upcoming Jurong Region Line. Now I understand why SMRT built this ghostly platform. Thanks!

[@laujunming4152]

LTA's the one in charge of planning stations; SMRT / SBST are only the operators

[@faythang2513]

Maybe it can one day be retrofitted for the upcoming cross lsland line which will terminate at gul circle

[@PrograError]

@@faythang2513 IIRC CIL is basically the same length and carriage... the only thing will need change would be the screen doors... then again Tenah Merah is planned to be "transferred" to CIL much later... like 2040-ish... so either way change and trash will be done...

[@ltankk]

​@faythang2513 Nope, cross island line will not be using that platform. It will remain underground. The vertical height is too high for the cross island line to go up.

[@adiel_rusyaidi]

​@@PrograError The Changi Airport branch of the East-West Line will be handed over to the Thomson-East Coast Line, not Cross Island Line

[@Chinix]

As a guy who loves good media production and learning about transportation(in general, yes i love cars, planes, trains etc.) This needs to be full on tv series

[@celery8315]

love these highly produced localised content on interesting factoids of our nation! I appreciate the stylistic choices in the presentation and editing, though it is a little too kidscentral/okto for my liking 😅keep fighting the good fight yall!

[@joyseng]

Yes, good video on the contents but the presentation is a bit cringey

[@winstonwong2572]

I only found out about this MRT station because I had an internship at a nearby company I was so confused by the layout on my first time there 😂

[@yrt9772]

I think Tuas Port has to be in Operation 1st to justify the construction of the Tuas South Extension

[@auratesanhandle2]

These videos are too so interesting. Came yesterday watching the Punggol lrt video

[@PrograError]

Too bad SG too small for long term series ... at most can only pivot to lost cultural and historical locations, like the National Theater and the old National Library

[@auratesanhandle2]

But can’t they just do the original plans for circle line?

[@PrograError]

@@auratesanhandle2 problem... There's no FOIA to know what's the original plan. The only deviation was the NCH station and that's due to the incident. Other than that there's not much public info on what was planned, I believe... And whatever that was in LTA archives, it's under OSA seal anyway...

[@mikaelnadal6661]

As someone who used to work at the the tuas industrial park. you have just solved a mystery itching my mind when i was working there. Absolutely hated gul circle station because of how much of a hassle it is to go up and down and the unused tracks infuriated me more lol. great vid

[@keniwng]

more please! she's very engaging

[@community2campus527]

Yes agreed, Joyce is indeed an amazing host.

[@SGrailadventure2004]

Maybe the female version of ‘Steven Chia’ 😂

[@commonpeople8215]

Fellow Singaporeans, please don't just comment on how good the video is. Many Singaporeans support and subscribe to foreign-made vlogs about SIngapore but are critical and barely support Singaporean-made ones. So don't just say it is good; show it in action. And not just this video; others as well!

[@namele55777]

i believe that they will build a branch line like tanah merah > changi airport once the tuas megaport is up and running. maybe in the next decade or so. also, i hope that the tuas extension can one day cross over to johor like the RTS but i guess it will remain a pipe dream...

[@ianlinxz12]

Oh nice! Looking forward to another episode, hope there will be more

[@kahhengyeong7947]

Urban legend has it that the unused tracks are for the "Good bros" travelling from Lim Chu Kang to the Hades Station 😂

[@chenyeanmingtakumi9033]

similar to the Central Station in Hong Kong's MTR, which also has an unfinished platform

[@SageBaka]

I think Joyce will become 电车宅男界的女神

[@TIB1243S]

It's probably mostly for futureproofing, preparing for it even though it's not concrete yet! Just like Tuas Viaduct itself, there's also an unbuilt section at the junction with Tuas Road (on the eastern end) and Tuas Avenue 3 (on the western end) (P.S. It would be much appreciated if the intro/outro music volume is more normalised to the volume of the contents too! It seems to be a bit louder than your voice and I had to turn down the volume during the music!)

[@engardepostsg]

Noted about the audio levels, will look into improving it for future episodes!

[@TIB1243S]

@@engardepostsg Thank you so much! Keep creating content that solves the mysteries that sit dormant in the back of our head!

[@electro_sykes]

@@engardepostsg I am from Australia and in Sydney, during the 70s, they built an extra set of platforms on the upper level of the Underground T4 platforms at Sydney Central Station, and more than 40 years later, they are still sitting there vacant, collecting dust and frozen in time, though recently, part of the platform space has been turned into a new concourse called Central Walk to help ease overcrowding at the Central station. And then you had the stub tunnels at Epping station that were left untouched for 10 years until the arrival of Sydney Metro. And lastly, under the Sydney CBD, you still have abandoned rail platforms dating back to the 1920s that have remained untouched for almost a century!

[@incognitopi3693]

I’m starting to love this channel, yall should start going into buses too

[@Bus_Enthu_Ian]

Unless the PSD on the unused platforms are reconfigured, CRL will not go aboveground. Lots of work is needed to change the PSD and install overhead wires

[@arleyjen]

04:40 I find it amusing to see the direction panel being so big only to have a way out written on it

[@xxTrainxx-xs8zn]

You should check out Promenade station... where the platforms are walled up and escalators built in its place to connect CCL to DTL

[@i.x.a.a.c-fl1qg]

Another thing u can talk about maybe is the track splitting when traveling from Hougang to Buangkok in Punggol direction. There will be a segment of that track where the tracks go in another way that seems to go to nowhere. Hope that can be another episode ❤❤

[@arkynkueh]

think those are reception tracks for Sengkang Depot

[@i.x.a.a.c-fl1qg]

@@arkynkueh No the Sengkang depot tracks are between Buangkok and Sengakang

[@arkynkueh]

@nobody-fl1qg No they're between Hougang and Buangkok and between Buangkok and Sengkang. From Wikipedia: The MRT depot is located between Hougang station and Sengkang station on the North East line and has three reception tracks: Two northbound tracks towards Sengkang station and one southbound track towards Hougang station.

[@slacker2747]

Thank u for the great insights on our mass rapid transits! Kudos to ur team

[@shawnli4746]

a video on the old KTM lines to Tanjong Pagar and Jurong Port would be interesting. Technically they weren't owned by SG but they still ran on SG land so they count ;)

[@thebfiaid957]

I saw that before and was kind of confused. I saw future maps and also guessed it was for the CRL. I think despite the CRL being a different rolling stock than EWL, it is possible that they can take away the old tracks and change it to one to fit the CRL. Also it is possible and not to mention cool if they made the CRL go overground similar to the Kelana Jaya line in KL where a lot of the line is underground. One problem however is that it would take a lot of land and tracks to bring the train overground to that level and its quite high compared to normal stations on EWL and NSL to the eyes

[@antant9523]

CRL stations are longer. while they start with 6 cars, stations have space for future expansion to 8 cars. so if they want to use gul circle's existing platform (6 cars), they would need to extend the platform length in the future when CRL upgrade to 8 cars as ridership increase

[@IceBloodKing]

She's a good host. Hope you guys bring her back.

[@joyceng3481]

dropping in to say thank you!

[@zdl1965]

Very interesting. You must be the Geoff Marshall and Jago Hazzard of Singapore. Only cuter!

[@liewsoonhao4643]

Aiyo, Joyce soooooo cuuuute at 2:40 "For NOTHING?!" 😍😍😍

[@SGrailadventure2004]

Me like: 'Yea, nothing since low ridership and not much of housing developments'. They shouldn't have built the two unused tracks tho

[@zlurker9291]

I really loved the content, looking forward to the next video 😊

[@SG1752U-Alt]

URA has plans to convert unused platforms into linkway to crl simillar to promenade. Promenade mrt was originally planned to have a stacked platform configuration with a future line (i think today's dtl) but due to nicoll highway collaspe (by then the diaphragm walls for the stations would probaly have been completed), nicoll highway (also planned to have stacked platforms) was resited away from the Bukit timah line (now dtl2) alignment. By that time, it would been impossible and a waste of money to realign the ccl tracks at promenade to the current unused tracks. As such, Bukit Timah Line, Downtown extension (originally planned to be part of ccl but was later split into DTL1 and CCL extension) and the northern half of Eastern Region Line were merged to form the current downtown line. Because the dtl intersected the alignment of ccl tracks at promenade, the dtl platforms were built underneath the circle line platforms in the end. The unused side of the Lower platform of the circle line was partially turned into the linkway to the downtown line platforms

[@engardepostsg]

The story of the original plans for the Circle line/Downtown Line Stage 1, and Promenade interchange before the Nicoll Highway collapse can be an interesting one, but as a lot of these remnants are underground in the tunnels, it would be very hard to film on location, and even getting official permission to film in the station itself can be quite troublesome. Furthermore since the lines are in the dense CBD area, I don't think the rearrangement of the line has a huge impact on the development of the area, unlike with the North-East Line coming to Punggol and the hypothetical Punggol North LRT, so it may not have enough material to warrant a full episode, but perhaps in the future we could look into producing a companion video/animation explaining the original plans...

[@spiritumsantorini]

love the vids! greetings from bandung indonesia.

[@hidenclement2]

Singapore MRT still have several list of secret yet to be covered. Here are some following example list 1) Missing station code on North East Line which is NE2. It a station originally planned to be built in between Harbourfront and Outram Park station but was cancelled. 2)CC32 Prince Edward Road station have two level stacked island cross platform for a future MRT line planned to interchange with circle line at this station. 3)NS6 Sungei Kadut station which originally meant to built in North South Line woodlands extension back in 1990s but was cancelled however was revived in LTA 2040 master plan to be built as a interchange station with Downtown Line extension from Bukit Panjang Station to Sungei Kadut.

[@wongminquan8685]

i have a feeling PER would be an interchange for the planned Greater Southern Waterfront line

[@michelleneo9470]

I watched that video before they even have the whatever. I think it’s like a like a light purple landing goes from Woodlands to southern waterfront.

[@japrpg]

Will your team cover the lost train tracks through Clementi to Teban? That's quite challenging to film though haha

[@Wechz750]

Just watching this video after the previous one and You just gained 50 subs

[@soonsl_muffin_damien]

I guessed right in the previous video! Gul Circle mrt stn indeed!

[@teeshirt]

THIS IS SO WELL MADE! More pleaseee!!

[@sgpublictransport34956]

Oh god what is with LTA and branch lines?! First the Punggol North LRT, an attempted branch extension for the NEL all the way to Tekong, and now this. But srsly I learned something new today. Thanks1

[@SGrailadventure2004]

At least both CGL and CCL extension is a reality, soon Punggol Extension also

[@sgpublictransport34956]

YE@@SGrailadventure2004

[@PrograError]

well... CCK to JRN was a branch line before the Woodlands extension down... that's why CCK and YWT all have their own crossovers...

[@placeholderblankspace]

@@SGrailadventure2004 CCLe was the biggest fail tho because it's actually a branch and not its own shuttle line, so frequency off the main line suffers, but at least they learnt their lesson with the CPE

[@SGrailadventure2004]

@@placeholderblankspace But the extension is not that bad, it's still a 'through service' from the mainline (unlike the CGL) especially during peak hours and 'special' events at night. Trains from Harbourfront alternate their terminus between Dhoby Ghaut and Marina Bay during these periods (and even from Caldecott) which is way better and allows people to travel directly to the CBD quicker than just a Tanah Merah - Changi Airport branch (which those from mainline have to alight at Tanah Merah, which is kinda dumb tho for Airport travellers) tbh

[@Blind_bag_lover628]

Now we need an episode about Ten Mile Junction!

[@cosmophanthom9760]

Closed down because of insuffient ridership

[@caja1491]

Agree.

[@sussy001]

If CRL terminates at Gul Circle, third rail need to be removed, overhead power line need to be installed, new PSD and new signs

[@boyan619]

As of March 2019, however, there were no plans for the south extension due to the lack of developments in Tuas South at the time.

[@wizardman3162]

it would be intresting if yall made a video about bukit brown or why NE2 doesnt exist or why 10 mile junction closed

[@kimxgamer]

It would be nice and convenient if the 2 unused platforms become crl since passengers just have to transfer by going down/up one floor or even just across thale platform.

[@Philson]

Keep up the good content!

[@robloxgday2024]

I really love these kinds of videos! Keep it up!

[@VEVOJavier]

WE NEED MORE OF THESE VIDEOS PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING

[@azlim27]

Gonna subscribe to this channel as this was legit interesting. The other train short documentaries was also interesting. This channel gives me Vox channel vibes.

[@jiaertan9775]

Thanks!

[@sgbuses]

Pretty sure the next station to be filmed will be Promenade MRT Station.

[@eleanorrepertoire1390]

Loving this mrt station series!

[@jonathanlimjun6238]

Too far location

[@premiermitsui5818]

HELPFUL INFO, THKS JOYCE .EVERY MORNING I TAKE BUS FROM MY WORKPLACE TO Gul CIRCLE AFTER MY GRAVEYARD SHIFT. LOL..

[@josephinthechickensoup123]

If they really used gul circle as a interchange for the CRL, then they should modify the Platform according to the trains carriages

[@jajakbeans]

Mostly like can be used as outstabling tracks.

[@SShiJie]

Omg they are back at it again

[@angelevil1006]

@axan50transportproductions, it is maybe for the CRL which is opening in the far future as the Tuas South Extension should start at Tuas Link.

[@aranimpact]

yay i love this series so much

[@lionellhwang5153]

Its meant for the Tuas mega port. So with the delay of that, the south extension is delayed as well.

[@igzord]

Nah theyre not going to make that branch redundant. They will make the line once they finish the tuas megaport and reclaim some land at the tuas tanjung gul bay area Suggestion: talk about the missing/lost mrt entrances eg. tanjong pagar mrt station entrances

[@brendakhoo2815]

Curious to know why there are two unused platforms and railways along the Circle Line of Paya Lebar station

[@LaxMarch2022]

Even if they use those platforms, they still have to extend them to 8 Cars because over time they are adding cars to the trains

[@FrozenBusChannel]

Let's hope those platforms won't have the same fate as the "extra" platforms in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong (abandoned & walled over)...

[@jieyang4914]

i rarely comment on videos but these localised and informative videos are amazing!! will yall continue to have more episodes? 😄

[@aekkawatu.555]

If Tuas south was real: To Tuas Link To Pasir Ris To Tuas South To Changi Airport

[@SGrailadventure2004]

This station is the SG version to ‘Kwasa Damansara’ station with simliar arrangements, but Kwasa Damansara is the terminus station for both Putrajaya and Kajang Lines in Malaysia whereas this station is the first of the TWE

[@isaacfung622]

In KL?

[@SGrailadventure2004]

The MRT system is build in Kiang Valley

[@SBSL-bf8cq]

This reserved platform for Tuas South but they scrapped Tuas South and Jurong Island for MRT plan. however it still remain like abandoned but if you think that platform used for Cross Island Line but it cannot because CRL should be fully underground MRT

[@PrograError]

plans might change.... INB4 they use the old KTM Jurong Line alignment as transition... why build underground when it's cheaper overground? Plus Tuas will almost never see residential marked on master plan anyway... the only residential would have been for the FCW.

[@Marchkite]

The girl cute

[@V.T.J.L.]

Should do Singapore expressway Masterplan , initially planned to be a circle 😶 😶

[@engardepostsg]

That would be a great idea... for a future "Unfinished Singapore", but unfortunately we titled this series to be railway related even though it's Unfinished London-inspired...maybe we should ask Jay Foreman if we can franchise an "Unfinished Singapore" from him...

[@Guestplayz1206]

The line code in tuas south branch is called TS

[@muhammadfadhiil5992]

I feel like i'm watching a Singaporean spin off of Geoff Marshall

[@AwkwardFX]

Can you do Paya Lebar circle Line? There’s a middle platform that isn’t really used..

[@eliasgc49]

I think that platform is for trains that end at payable labar to stop there, and probably go on to go towards Marina Bay afterwards maybe I'm not too sure about the latter part

[@haniffhussein]

the power of youtube algorithm is crazy, the view count is almost tripled the amount of subscribers after just 4 hours being posted

[@za7v9ier]

They'll probably build another MRT branch after the completion of Tuas Megaport.

[@stepford_express279]

Actually they might be used for train services to tuas port

[@tong3059]

I wonder if Ep4 Will consist of the old railway track of jurong railway line (owned by KTM)

[@aehighfmcolinchin]

Extension to Tuas South in the future

[@AndrewHan8]

The empty platform is actually planned for supporting the upcoming Tuas Mega port....maybe?

[@leoimr7321]

Is nice to learn ab the city metro planning

[@Bravedot]

This is because of the jurorsng region/cross country line This is why it is closed it will open soon

[@electro_sykes]

they could use it to store trains

[@hansrecto8195]

4:08 Why don’t they use the empty platform as cross’s island line platform?

[@Shifiv-rebirth]

The cross island line is fully underground + the rolling stock of the cross island line is different to the east west line's rolling stock

[@BYD4005Z]

It was planned for the tuas south extension, however it was cancelled due to low ridership

[@DarrenWongWeiCongAdmiraltyps]

Can you talk about the Jurong Bird Park panorail that ceased operations in around I think 2012.

[@hilmii07]

she makes singapore more entertaining ngl HAHHAHAHA

[@SMRT-Transit]

They could at least use it for the future cross island line or else the platforms are just going to rot until they use it for another extension which is still unknown.

[@mousemouse3459]

NICE GREENSCREEN

[@singaporetransport1305]

Ahem. If they were to use those platforms for the CRL, CRL will then need to be elevated at some point. And then, the PSD need to be changed to fit the rolling stock for CRL. Perhaps, make the platform longer to fit 8 carts???

[@singaporetransport1305]

Or they may resume the usual plan which is to use EWL rolling stock to tuas south and then be a triple interchange with CRL.

[@singaporetransport1305]

@@LifNTransportAdventures True. In the future maybe 8 cars but now stick to 6 cars.

[@placeholderblankspace]

@@LifNTransportAdventures ya but the fact there's option to extend to 8 means that if they want to route it to the EWL platforms they'd have to plan for possible ext. of Gul also

[@quekmengkiatmiguelhshs3501]

Part 4: Why is there a middle platform at Paya Lebar station?

[@naorierangeenviro500]

hearsay for future provison

[@rexang99]

To turn around trains and for trains to exit and enter Kim Chuan Depot.

[@TRULOVE_2H]

i just found out the old monorail

[@azin7494]

Van cover on the middle platform of underground Paya Lebar MRT?

[@jaredcastorarcenas6283]

This is looks like Jay Foreman's Unfinished London videos.

[@pryn.darkstorm]

You could connect Tuas Road to Tuas South Ave 9 and take the MRT with it, but you have to either 1) build a complicated rail/road draw bridge, or 2) close down all the shipyards in Tuas Basin. This makes it even harder to justify building the extension with any ridership to Tuas South.

[@ProjectFlight777]

It’s for the light green line in future

[@SBSL-bf8cq]

No la CRL is fully underground

[@prores1772]

Probably for the future Cross island line

[@tib1243sstudios]

Nice, maybe the second platform will be used in the next decade soon…

[@reich2126]

Gotta ask the question, is the unused MRT platform open to public?

[@TheMainTrain2]

As a train enthusiast it has been confirmed that there are provisions for an extension to Tuas South (on some trains there are some red LEDs underneath Gul Circle which gives the hint) Video evidence: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHmYZ6Kaj8msmc0

[@naorierangeenviro500]

could be the led misplaced

[@naorierangeenviro500]

also is quite hard to find tlk bound sie/kns

[@howsweetishyein]

but tuas extension is a big fail? i hardly see the train crowds towards tuas.

[@laychun85]

Seems there is a huge pool of rail fans all over the region

[@YaoboyProd2K15]

There were plans to extend Tuas South branch from Gul Circle, though the plan fell through.

[@cursedredcurry]

I dont think they will change the psd

[@jianxiongRaven]

We need more cross platform

[@christopheryongmenglee7569]

Gul Circle to Tuas South

[@CarlosP1-w1p]

The Tuas south 😢