Recently Minister for Transport Mr. Khaw Boon Wan shared a post introducing the Circle Line 6 Project Information Centre (PIC) which was officially opened. The Project Information Centre is located along Spottiswoode Road in front of the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station and is open to the public on a walk-in basis, unlike some other centres which require prior bookings and arrangements (for example the Thomson-East Coast Line stage 3 PIC at Orchard station).
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| The Circle Line 6 Project Information Centre. |
Should you wish to visit the PIC, it may be handy for you to note the operating hours. The PIC is open on weekdays from 9am to 5pm and is closed on Public Holidays and weekends. It is recommended that bookings be made for larger groups so that the staff can assist to ensure that each visitor can get the information they need when they visit to learn about the Circle Line stage 6 project. According to a circular, the contact point for such arrangements would be Ms. Rohana.
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| Operating hours of the PIC. |
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| Circular to residents. |
At the PIC, visitors are able to view models of all 3 stations, the turn back sidings, the Circle Line depot extension at Kim Chuan as well as models of the Tunnel Boring Machines to be used on the project. There are also information panels detailing the challenges at each of the five sites - Keppel station site, Cantonment station site, Prince Edward station site, the tunnels between Marina Bay & Prince Edward & the turn back siding and at Kim Chuan where the depot is being expanded.
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| Models of the stations, work sites & Tunnel Boring Machines with information panels in the background. |
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| Information panels for each of the work contracts. |
A personal favourite is always the scale models that show the layout of the station. Intricate details are woven into the models to depict how the stations will look come 2025 when the Circle Line stage 6 is expected to open for revenue service. An example of such detail is the display of the travellator connecting an entrance at Prince Edward station due to the length of the connecting subway.
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| Intricate details showing the station layout. |
Contract 882 - Keppel station
For Keppel station, a scale model shows the station's 3 entrances at road level with the integrated commuter facilities such as Pick Up-Drop Off (PUDO) bays, bus stops and taxi stands. The model continues underground to show how the entrances open up and connect with the station concourse at Basement 1 level and lead to the platforms at Basement 2 level. Sidings can also be seen to be integrated with the station, similar to how sidings were integrated with the Downtown Line's Fort Canning and Mattar stations.
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| Overview of Keppel station showing Entrance B along Keppel Road and the underground bicycle parking facility. |
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| Entrance C along Keppel Road along with connecting subway to the station concourse. |
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| Basement levels from the side view of Keppel station. |
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| A view of the approach and siding tracks at Keppel station. |
The information panel for Keppel station explains about previous projects that the contractors currently working on the station have undertaken previously, challenges specific to the station site and a few artist's perspectives of how the station would look like in future.
Contract 883 - Cantonment station
The model for Cantonment station also shows the various levels that will make up the station with a total of 4 basement floors being built. Basement 1, unlike Keppel station, is an incidental level which will have space for retail shops offering convenience to residents in the area on their way home. The concourse level for this station will straddle Basement 2 and Basement 3 with the platforms at Basement 4.
The information panel for this station also shows similar basic information to that which is displayed for Keppel station - challenges at the site, previous civil infrastructure projects undertaken by the contractor and perspective views of the station's features.
In his post on Facebook, Mr. Khaw also shared a 3D Flythrough video of Cantonment station. This, however, was not available for any of the stations at the PIC.
The model for Prince Edward station shows the layout of the 3 basement levels that will form this side-stacked station, a similar set up to that of Stevens station on the Downtown Line. However, unlike Stevens station, this station is poised to become a future cross-platform interchange with a future line. The station concourse is located at Basement 1 with the platforms spreading across Basement 2 and Basement 3.
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| Model of the Prince Edward station showing Concourse at B1, Upper platform at B2 and Lower platform at B3. |
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| An artist's impression of how Prince Edward station's concourse would look. Noticeable is a sign near the elevator bearing the colours of two lines - orange being the Circle Line colour and blue being a placeholder for the future line. Source: Land Transport Authority (LTA) |
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| One of the slides shown on the tablet indicating the location of Prince Edward station and showing the outline of tunnels. |
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| Above image with the tunnels shown in outlines for clearer viewing. |
The remaining models show the layout of the sites at Kim Chuan and Marina Bay where tunnels will connect the stage 6 stations to Marina Bay and another tunnel known as the turn-back tunnel. This will serve as a reversing point for trains on the Circle Line to turn around, potentially allowing for 4 different services on the line in future:
1) Clockwise loop service.
2) Anti-clockwise loop service.
3) Dhoby Ghaut to Prince Edward, anti-clockwise service via Promenade, Paya Lebar, Serangoon, Bishan, Buona Vista & Harbourfront.
4) Prince Edward to Dhoby Ghaut, clockwise service via Harbourfront, Buona Vista, Bishan, Serangoon, Paya Lebar & Promenade.
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| Kim Chuan Depot expansion with Bartley Road East on top. |
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| A close up detail of the stabling tracks in the new depot with trains shown. |
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| A model of the turn-back tunnel facility next to Shenton Way station on the Thomson-East Coast Line. |
The PIC is definitely an informative centre to find out more about the various station construction activities. If you're interested to learn more about the works taking place on Circle Line stage 6, do drop by the Project Information Centre to find out more.
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| Location of the Circle Line 6 Project Information Centre (PIC). |
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