The North South Line (NSL) is the first Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Singapore. The line is 45 km long with 26 stations Traveling from one end of this line to the other end takes about one hour, and this line is coloured red on the rail map.
As the name implies, the line connects central Singapore to both northern and southern parts of the island. Cross-platform interchange with the East West Line is provided at Jurong East, City Hall and Raffles Place while transfer to the North East Line is possible via a linkway at Dhoby Ghaut. Connections to the Circle Line are provided at Bishan, Dhoby Ghaut and Marina Bay and a linkway via Esplanade. The North South Line interchanges with the Downtown Line at Newton and with the Thomson-East Coast Line at Woodlands, Orchard and Marina Bay.
History[]
Initial system[]
The North South line was the first MRT line in Singapore, with the first section from Yio Chu Kang to Toa Payoh opening on 7 November 1987. Nine more stations from Novena to Outram Park followed on 12 December 1987, with through service onto what is today the East West Line. The northern terminal was extended to Yishun on 20 December 1988 when Yishun and Khatib stations opened. Separate operation of the North South and East West Lines only started on 4 November 1989, when the extension to Marina Bay was opened.
Second phase of development (Woodlands Extension)[]
After the Branch Line opened in 1990, the Woodlands Extension MRT line was envisioned to close the gap between Yishun and Choa Chu Kang. During the initial planning of the line, Sembawang station was only intended as a provisional station to be built at a later date due to the underdevelopment of the town and Kranji station was not planned. But on the second round of planning, the government decided to build these station and omit Sungei Kadut station from the plan. Sungei Kadut station will be built later if the town's population justifies the necessity for the station. With the completion of the Woodlands Extension in 1996, the Branch Line became part of the North South Line and ceased to exist.
Jurong East Modification Project (JEMP)[]
The Jurong East Modification Project consisted of the construction of a new platform and the addition of a fourth track to Jurong East Station. It has been in use since 27 May 2011. The North South Line currently utilises the new track and platform during the weekday morning peak hours from 7am to 9am only. From 27 December 2011, the platform and track will be utilised during the weekday evening peak hours. The new track and platform allows trains to be run at a higher frequency during weekday peak hours. Waiting time is now reduced from 4.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes. Along with the new platform and tracks, 22 Kawasaki Heavy Industries C151A trains will be added to the fleet to reduce waiting time and increase train frequencies. All 22 trains are in service as of February 2012.
North South Line Extension (NSLe)[]
A 1 km one station extension from Marina Bay which is completed on 23 November 2014, one year earlier than planned. The new Marina South Pier will be located near the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore in Marina Bay. The then Minister for Transport, Raymond Lim, announced on 12 February 2009 that the completion date for the extension, initially due for completion in 2015, will be brought forward by a year to 2014.
Canberra station[]
- Main article: Canberra MRT Station
On 27 April 2015, construction started on Canberra Station (NS 12) which will be built along an operational section of the line and costing S$90 million. Similar to Dover Station, the station platform will be of an elevated side platform layout. Construction is expected to be completed by 2019 to serve the upcoming developments near the station.
Resignalling works[]
A new signalling system, supplied by Thales, will replace the current ageing signalling system on the North South Line. Upgrading works on the signalling system for NSEW Line will be completed in phases from 2016. Commuters on the North-South Line can expect shorter waiting times as the upgraded signalling system allows trains to run in shorter intervals. The new system is expected to be operational from mid-March 2017. MRT trains are also progressively being retrofitted with new equipment on board to be compatible with the new signalling system.
The new signalling system was tested in the evening of 28 March 2017, when train services were paused to facilitate the testing from Marina Bay to Yishun. Trials of the new system had been ongoing during off-service hours since August 2016. From 16 April 2017, the new system will commence full-day testing on Sundays for two months, along with the commencing of operations of the new C151B rolling stock on these testing days.
Half-height platform screen door installations[]
There were calls for platform screen doors to be installed at above-ground stations after several incidents in which passengers were killed by oncoming trains when they fell onto the railway tracks at above-ground stations. Underground stations already featured the doors since 1987. The authorities initially rejected the proposal by casting doubts over functionality and concerns about the high installation costs, but made an about-turn when the government announced plans to install half-height platform screen doors on the above-ground stations in January 2008, citing lower costs due to it becoming a more common feature worldwide. They were first installed at Jurong East, Pasir Ris and Yishun stations in 2009 as trial runs.
By 14 March 2012, all above-ground stations have been retrofitted with the doors and are operational.
Line disruptions[]
On 3 March 2003, a 23-year-old man lost control of his vehicle along Lentor Avenue, crashed through the fence, and landed on a stretch of track between Yio Chu Kang and Khatib stations. The incident forced a train carrying hundreds of commuters to come to a screeching halt, but not before flattening the front of the car. The accident disrupted train services for more than three hours and cost SMRT between S$100,000 and $150,000 in damages and lost revenue.
On 15 December 2011, services between Bishan and Marina Bay stations were suspended due to damage sustained on the power rail between City Hall and Dhoby Ghaut. Trains along the stretch were stalled and caused a service disruption until 11:40Template:Nbsppm on that day.[1] Two days later, a similar problem caused a seven-hour disruption between Ang Mo Kio and Marina Bay. According to SMRT, the disruption was caused by damage to the third rail and the trains' collector shoes. Seven trains were damaged in this incident. These two service disruptions on the North South line were both related to damaged rail, and became one of the worst disruption since SMRT's inception in 1987.
On 7 July 2015, the North South and East West lines were temporarily disrupted due to massive power trips detected along the line. A cause of the disruption was due to damaged insulators which caused a failure to properly supply power.
On 7 October 2017, a 20-hour long disruption of services started due to flooding in the tunnels between Braddell station and Bishan station due to a faulty drainage system, resulting in disruption of train services between Ang Mo Kio and Marina South Pier stations in both directions for several hours. A trackside fire between Raffles Place and Marina Bay stations further exacerbated the disruption. Train services between Marina South Pier and Newton resumed at about 9:20Template:Nbsppm on the same day, followed by Newton and Ang Mo Kio at around 2Template:Nbsppm the following day. Although no injuries or casualties were reported, SMRT fired a total of eight employees from the maintenance crew, and incurred a S$2 million fine, following the incident.
Network and operations[]
Service[]
Train services on the North South Line operates from approximately 5.30am to around midnight daily. In general, during peak hours, train frequency is between 2 and 3 minutes whereas off-peak hours is 5 to 6 minutes. Operating hours are usually extended or operate 24 hours during festive periods.
Each day, the first train from Jurong East is approximately 5.15am (5.35am on Sundays and public holidays) from Jurong East to Marina South Pier station. In the evenings, selected trains will end at both Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio and Yew Tee stations.
Each day, the first train from Marina South Pier is approximately 6.10am (6.40am on Sundays and public holidays). Selected trains will end at Kranji stations as well.
Since January 2014, train services are also subject to maintenance and renewal works, where shuttle buses may be provided during the duration of early closures and late openings for the affected commuters. Operating hours may also be affected by ongoing COVID-19 crisis because of the drop of rail ridership.
Route[]
The North South Line starts at the Jurong East, where it interchanges with the East West Line from the Platform D & E, that is only operational all the time, whereas for the Platform A & B, it is operational during peak periods. It merges into the assigned direction, just between Jurong East Street 21 and Jurong East Avenue 1. Then, the train goes all the way to Bukit Batok, and after that it emerges into the short tunnel at the hilltop, and subsequently it goes into the Bukit Gombak. After that it goes all the way to Choa Chu Kang, and crosses through Brickland Road and the short underpass at Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1. The name is originally coined from the Branch Line.
The Woodlands Extension extends from Choa Chu Kang and goes all the way to Kranji. After that, it had a short underpass that had to cross through the Woodlands Avenue 3 with the exception of the short open air section while still retaining tunnel walls. After that it goes all the way to Marsiling, and it elevates through towards Yishun. It also parallels the main roads of Woodlands Avenue 3, Woodlands Avenue 7, Canberra Link and Yishun Avenue 2. From here it had their middle tracks at Woodlands and Yishun.
The original North South Line starts from Yishun, and goes all the way to Khatib, and then after that it descends through the Lentor Avenue, and emerges again into the Yio Chu Kang. After that it descends into the surface, and eventually it will go into Ang Mo Kio, where the level 1 remains as a storeroom access that is only accessible from the paid areas of Ang Mo Kio. After that it descends into Bishan, where it interchanges with the Circle Line, and the platforms are at the basement 1, the only station in the NSEWL that had the concourse level on the ground floor. After that, it goes all the way to Braddell, where the curvature is different including Toa Payoh, and after that it will pass through the Orchard Road area. Cross-platform interchange with the East West Line is only possible again at City Hall and Raffles Place. After that, few trains and on several days, it will terminate at Marina Bay, the other trains will terminate at Marina South Pier.
In addition, it also takes commuters to various places (such as Orchard Road), schools (such as Republic Polytechnic and Nanyang Polytechnic) and attractions (such as Singapore Zoo and Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve). It is the only line between the northern side of Singapore and the city, before the Thomson-East Coast Line and Downtown Line opens in 2016 and by 2020 respectively.
Stations[]
| Station Name | Interchange/Notes | First Train NB | First Train SB | Last Train NB | Last Train SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jurong East | East West Line Jurong Region Line (2028) |
05:36 05:53 05:59 |
05:30 | 23:40 | 22:53 |
| Bukit Batok | 05:33 05:50 05:56 |
05:33 | 23:37 | 22:56 | |
| Bukit Gombak | 05:31 05:48 05:54 |
05:35 | 23:35 | 22:58 | |
| Brickland | Opening in 2034 | ||||
| Choa Chu Kang | Bukit Panjang LRT Jurong Region Line (2027) |
05:27 05:44 05:50 |
05:25 05:39 |
23:31 | 23:02 |
| Yew Tee | 05:25 05:42 05:48 |
05:42 | |||
| Sungei Kadut | Opening in 2035, future interchange with Downtown Line | ||||
| Kranji | 05:37 05:43 |
05:47 | |||
| Marsiling | 05:50 | ||||
| Woodlands | Thomson-East Coast Line | 05:53 06:03 |
|||
| Admiralty | 05:56 06:06 |
||||
| Sembawang | 05:59 06:09 |
||||
| Canberra | 06:01 06:11 |
||||
| Yishun | 06:04 06:14 |
||||
| Khatib | 06:06 06:16 |
||||
| Yio Chu Kang | 06:12 06:22 |
||||
| Ang Mo Kio | Cross Island Line (2030) | 06:14 06:24 |
|||
| Bishan | Circle Line | 06:17 06:27 |
|||
| Braddell | 06:19 06:29 |
||||
| Toa Payoh | 06:21 06:31 |
||||
| Novena | 06:23 06:33 |
||||
| Newton | Downtown Line | 06:25 06:35 |
|||
| Orchard | Thomson-East Coast Line | 06:27 06:37 |
23:57 | 23:46 | |
| Somerset | 06:29 06:39 |
23:55 | 23:48 | ||
| Dhoby Ghaut | North East Line Circle Line |
06:31 06:41 |
23:53 | 23:50 | |
| City Hall | East West Line | 06:33 06:43 |
23:51 | 23:53 | |
| Raffles Place | 06:35 06:45 |
23:55 | |||
| Marina Bay | Circle Line Thomson-East Coast Line |
06:37 06:47 |
|||
| Marina South Pier | 06:40 06:50 |
Train services heading towards Jurong East will either terminate at platform 1 or 4/5. Withdrawal train will terminate at platform 1.
After the last train to Jurong East is departed from Marina Bay, train service to Ang Mo Kio as a SWT will operate from Marina South Pier as a last train, DNB train will terminate at Marina South Pier and do overnight parking there, last Kranji bound train will start from Marina Bay.
Services[]
| Services | From | To | Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northbound | Raffles Place Orchard Choa Chu Kang |
City Hall Novena Jurong East |
Weekdays |
| City Hall Bishan Khatib |
Orchard Yio Chu Kang Woodlands |
Weekdays (Digital) | |
| Admiralty | Yew Tee | Saturdays | |
| Raffles Place Yew Tee |
Admiralty Jurong East |
Saturdays (Digital) | |
| Marina South Pier Novena Yishun |
Raffles Place Bishan Choa Chu Kang |
Sundays | |
| City Hall Bishan |
Novena Yishun |
Sundays (Digital) | |
| Southbound | Jurong East Toa Payoh |
Ang Mo Kio Raffles Place |
Weekdays (Digital) |
| Jurong East Canberra Ang Mo Kio Raffles Place |
Bukit Batok Yishun City Hall Marina South Pier |
Saturdays (Digital) | |
| Jurong East Ang Mo Kio City Hall |
Yew Tee Bishan Marina South Pier |
Sundays | |
| Yew Tee Bishan |
Ang Mo Kio City Hall |
Sundays (Digital) |
- Weekdays: 21/21 (100%) (Southbound) / 10/16 (62.5%) (Northbound) = 81.25%
- Saturdays: 13/13 (100%) (Southbound) / 8/23 (34.78%) (Northbound) = 67.39%
- Sundays: 17/26 (65.38%) (Southbound) / 9/22 (40.90%) (Northbound) = 53.14%
Total signalling - 67.26% Complete.
Infrastructure[]
Rolling stock[]
Trains on the NSL operate with a six-car formation, with an electrification of 750 V DC powered by a third rail. With the exception of the C651, the rest of the current rolling stocks are manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, in a joint venture with CSR Qingdao Sifang for the subsequent rolling stocks of the C151A, C151B and C151C. When the initial line opened, the rolling stock of the North South Line consisted of C151 trains only. The C651 was introduced during the Woodlands extension to complement the existing 66 C151 trains. The third-generation C751B trains were delivered in 2000. In 2011, the fourth-generation C151A was introduced, increasing the passenger capacity of both the North South and East West lines by 15%. The C151A contract was the first successful joint venture between Kawasaki Heavy Industries and CSR Qingdao Sifang in the international market.
As parts of efforts to further increase passenger capacity on the line, the newer rolling stocks of C890A were subsequently delivered in 2017 and 2018 respectively. The introduction of the C151B saw the introduction of STARiS 2.0, which is also seen in subsequent rolling stocks. The C151C is also the first MRT rolling stock on the NSEWL to be fitted with fold-up seats, in addition to the current features of the C151B.
Another generation of rolling stock, the Bombardier Movia CR151, will be delivered from 2021 to 2023, to replace the C151 that is already bound for retirement. The CR151 will be the first rolling stock on the North South line to be manufactured by Bombardier, which has also supplied trains for the Downtown MRT line. The current rolling stock of the NSL are housed in Bishan Depot, which provides train maintenance, inspection and overhaul facilities, and in Ulu Pandan Depot.
| Model | Direction | Weekday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C151 | Northbound | |||
| Southbound | Canberra - Yishun | |||
| C651 | Northbound | |||
| Southbound | ||||
| C751B | Northbound | |||
| Southbound | Dhoby Ghaut - City Hall | |||
| C151A | Northbound | Khatib - Sembawang | ||
| Southbound | Somerset - City Hall Raffles Place - Marina Bay |
Yishun - Ang Mo Kio | ||
| C151B | Northbound | |||
| Southbound | Woodlands - Ang Mo Kio Bishan - Newton |
Yew Tee - Ang Mo Kio | ||
| C151C | Northbound | City Hall - Novena | ||
| Southbound | Jurong East - Ang Mo Kio |
Signalling[]
The North South line is currently equipped with Thales SelTrac Communications-based train control (CBTC) moving block signalling system with Automatic train control (ATC) under Automatic train operation (ATO) GoA 3 (DTO). The subsystems consist of Automatic train protection (ATP) to govern train speed, NetTrac MT Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) to track and schedule trains and a Computer-based interlocking (CBI) system that prevents incorrect signal and track points to be set.
A new moving-block signalling system, supplied by Thales, replaced the ageing fixed-block signalling system on the North South line. The upgrading works were completed in phases from 2016. With the upgraded signalling system, trains are now able to run closer to each other. The new system was tested on the evening of 28 March 2017. Train services were paused for ten minutes as the signalling systems was being changed. From 16 April 2017, the new system commenced full-day testing on Sundays for two months. The new C151B rolling stock were first introduced to the line on these testing days. Since 28 May 2017, the new signalling system has been operating full-day on the North South line.
The old signalling system ceased operations on 2 January 2019. It consisted of Westinghouse fixed block signalling system with Automatic train control (ATC) under Automatic train operation (ATO) GoA 2 (STO). The subsystems consisted of Automatic train protection (ATP) to govern train speed, Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) to track and schedule trains and a Relay interlocking system that prevents incorrect signal and track points to be set. Train Captains are still present on the cab to monitor security.
Platform Screen Doors[]
When the line was first opened, only the underground stations are installed with full-height platform screen doors supplied by the Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company Ltd. These doors serve to prevent suicides, enable climate control within the station, better security control as access to the tunnels and tracks is restricted and for overall passenger safety considerations. The authorities initially rejected calls for platform screen doors to be installed at elevated stations by casting doubts over functionality and concerns about the high installation costs. Nevertheless, the LTA reversed its decision and made plans to install half-height platform screen doors on elevated stations on 25 January 2008. The first platform screen doors by ST Electronics were installed at Jurong East and Yishun stations in 2009 as trial runs. Subsequently, installation began in May 2011 at Ang Mo Kio station. On 14 March 2012, platform screen doors became operational on all surface stations on the North South line.
Rail[]
The NSL was built with wooden sleepers, which needed to be replaced when they neared the end of their lifespan of 15 to 25 years. The replacement sleepers, made out of concrete, have a significantly longer lifespan and enables smoother and safer rides. Since 2014, train services on the line ended earlier for critical maintenance works, with the exception of a break between September 2016 and December 2017.
Trains on the NSL are powered via a third rail. However, constant contact between the train's Current Collector Devices (CCD) and the rail saw the need for replacement works on the third rail, which were completed in August 2017. The new third rail replaced its 30-year-old predecessor, which was used since the opening of the line. The new electrical system is expected to make train services more reliable.
External links[]
References[]
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