Upcoming temporary CCL service pattern changes 20 Jan - 24 May 2024

 

11 January 2024 - A banner at Buona Vista station informing passengers about the upcoming
temporary service changes.

Its less than a week away to the upcoming temporary Circle Line (CCL) service pattern changes which will commence this Saturday (20 January 2024). What are the changes? Why are the changes needed? And what are the works being done that necessitate these changes? We'll delve into these questions in this post, more after the jump.

What are the changes?
1. In summary, there will not be any through service from Dhoby Ghaut or Marina Bay to HarbourFront. Passengers will need to make a transfer at Labrador Park station.

2. However, to complicate matters further, not all trains will end service at Labrador Park station. Half of the trains running on the existing main line will end at Kent Ridge station instead. Do look out at the information screens on the platform or in the train to be advised of the ultimate terminus of the train.

Diagram showing the 3 separate services available on the CCL main line up to Labrador
Park station during the temporary service change. The section between Labrador Park &
HarbourFront will be converted into a shuttle service.

Why are the changes needed?
To enable Circle Line Stage 6 (CCL6) connection to the existing CCL tracks, a section of existing tunnel needs to be demolished & a new turn out track segment installed. This disrupts the operator from using both platforms at HarbourFront station for terminating & clearing trains at Platform A before sending them into the reverse siding at the over run tunnel and returning them for boarding at Platform B.

11 December 2023 - A view of a train terminating its service & clearing passengers at Platform A
of the HarbourFront CCL station.

11 December 2023 - After passengers have alighted at Platform A, the trains proceeds into the
over run tunnel - a section of non-revenue service track beyond the station - and switches back
to Platform B to pick up passengers.

With works taking place at the entry track to Platform B from the over run tunnel, trains are unable to run at as high a frequency. For safety of passengers and the crew working on the modification, Platform B cannot be used. Due to the line's layout, trains are unable to cross from the track at Platform A to return to Telok Blangah station on the correct side. This means that trains can only shuttle up and down on the track that serves Platform A. The next section where trains can change directions is located between Pasir Panjang & Labrador Park stations.

Image from internet - A view of the CCL Operations Control Centre with the track layout of
Stages 1-5 shown on the screen. HarbourFront station is at the far right end.

A diagram representation of the existing track layout at HarbourFront CCL station.

A diagram representation of the changes during the works period.

As such, the main line trains will end service at Labrador Park station's Platform B. Passengers will need to walk across the platform to transfer to the shuttle service train to connect to HarbourFront. Passengers on the main line service ending at Labrador Park will use the cripple siding to switch tracks, allowing them to view a section rarely traversed by passengers during regular revenue service. This also means that Telok Blangah station's Platform B will be out of service, with Platform A serving the shuttle service between HarbourFront & Labrador Park.

What are the works being done that necessitate these changes?
The changes will facilitate the construction of a tunnel segment linking the existing HarbourFront station with the new stage 6. In particular, the "Outer Track" of the line (Clockwise service, the track serving trains heading towards Telok Blangah from HarbourFront CCL station) does not have an existing tunnel where the new line could connect to as such a connection was not constructed originally. What may have been constructed instead was a knock out panel that could be taken down in future to facilitate an extension, which is happening now.

20 September 2010 - Information on HarbourFront's Circle Line station from a Connections
information panel during the station's construction period. The section of tunnel east of the station
inaccurately shows a connection to an over run tunnel that was never built.

Photo from internet - a view of the tunnel end wall of the Outer Track at HarbourFront CCL
station.

11 December 2023 - A view of the tunnel end wall at HarbourFront CCL station.

In addition to the hacking away of the tunnel wall, the section of track will need to be replaced as well. This will allow trains from CCL6 to run into the station from the preceding station, Keppel, which is being built under contract 882. A new turnout will be installed to allow trains to switch tracks between the Inner & Outer tracks or simply continue straight into the existing station.

A diagram representation of the track layout after the works period.

For more information on the upcoming changes, do visit the Land Transport Authority's website for the full press release. Further information on other modes of transport to connect to stations in the affected sector from Kent Ridge to HarbourFront can be found there as well.

This post will also be available on Instagram & Facebook on 18 January 2024.