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HISTORY OF BT PANJANG SERVICE
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At the end of 1985, the first service to terminate at Bt Panjang
New Town (formerly known as Zhenghua New town) was service 5, which
had its route extended from Bt Timah to the Gangsa Rd Terminal for
a short period of time before extending to Petir Rd, which is a
roadside terminal. This terminal was named as Bt Panjang
Terminal.
There are two side of Petir Rd for boarding & alighting
activities. When a bus terminares its trip at Bt Panjang, it would
park at the side of Petir Rd stretch , between the junction of
Gangas Rd and Pending Rd junctions. (which means the location is
o/s blk 108,118,128), and the small bus stops are used for boarding
activities. On the opposite side of Petir Rd (facing blk
139,142,150) are used for alighting activities.
The Petir Rd area became a hive of a busy bus terminal serving
residents of Bukit Panjang, when more bus services serving the Bt
Panjang Area in the 1990s. But first we go through the changes made
in the late 1980s. When there is road constraints along Petir Rd,
TIBS had taken a paramount task to plan its new bus interchange,
connecting Bt Panjang LRT and the Bt Panjang Plaza in 1999 so that
the residents will have an improvised bus interchange for boarding
& alighting actvities as well as a bus bay for buses to
park.
In 1995, TIBS had also showcased its new Mercedes-Benz O405 buses
around the Bukit Panjang area, before it actually takes over the
Bukit Panjang services by phases. In fact, these new buses were
deployed on Bukit Panjang services, to get the residents a new feel
on its new buses and also the EDS system which made them to see the
service number clearly.
In 1988, two services were introduced - 187 and 190, on july 10.
Service 187 plies from Bt Panjang to Jurong while 190 from Bt
Panjang to New Bridge Rd and on the same year, two new feeders were
introduced -- 343 and 344.
343 - to Petir Rd (loop at end)
344 - to Bt Panjang Ring Rd
Service 190 was extended to Choa Chu kang Int in 1989, when the
Choa Chu Kang Int opened to the public.
- Changes made after 1990 (include external services that ply via
Bt Panjang, but amendments that made outside Bt Panjang are not
shown here. Excludes SBST/SMRT Premium Services) -
NOTE: All Bt Panjnag Services were handed over to TIBS in phases in
1995 and was amended to serve the new Bt Panjang Int in end
1999.
5 - Service amended to ply Margraet Dr, Lower Detla Rd, Kg Bahru Rd
in 1992 as part of MRT Rationalisaion. This service was withdrawn
due to the LRT opeing in 1999.
75 - Service cutback to Bt Panjang from Choa Chu kang int in
1992.
176 - Service was amended to terminate at Bt Panjang in 1990s,
plying from Bt Panjang to Jurong East. When 184 withdrawn, the
service was extended to Bt Maerh to cover the former 184 route from
Jurong Town Hall Rd to Bt Merah Int. It was amended to ply Bt Batok
East Ave 2 in 1995
177 - Service was re-routed to start from Bt Panjang instead of
MINDEF Car Park in 1990.
180 - Service renumbered from 951, when the service shortened to
Bukit Panjang as part of the 1996 MRT Rationalisaion.
184 - Service introduiced as Bukit Panjang - C'wealth Ave West loop
sefvice in 1993.
187 - Service extended to Boon Lay Int in Jul 1990.
343 - Service renumbers to 921 when it was amended to Bt Panjang
Int.
344 - Service withdrawl due to LRT opening in 1999
345 - Service introduced in 1998 by TIBS, from Bt Panjang to
Saujana Rd (Loop), but it was withdrawn due to the LRT opening in
1999
EXPRESS 521 - Express Service introduced in Sep 1999, from Bt
Panjang to WTC. In sep 2002, the service was extended to Woodlands
and converted to a trunk service and renumbered 963.
RAPIDBUS 700 - Service shortened to Bukit Panjang in 1999, due to
the poor usage from Woodlands to Bt Panjang, via Marsiling Estate.
The service also merged with 921, at the same time , amended to ply
along Petir Rd, when it was extended to connect Dairy Farm Rd and
the PIE slip rd.
920 - Service introduced as Bt Panjang to Bangkit Rd (Loop) on 28
Mar 2000. On 29 May 2005, it was amended to ply Senja Rd and Senja
Link
921 - Service renumbered from 343. Bus Plus buses were used in 2006
before withdrawal. Part of its Petir Rd route became part of
700.
922 - Service introduced as Bt Pnajang to Segar Rd (Loop) in 23 Apr
2006.
970 - Service introduced as Bt Panjang to Shenton Way on 20 Aug
2000.
975 - Service renumbered from 175, when the service extended and at
the same time re-routed to start from Bt Panjang, instead of Lim
Chu Kang.
NR10 - Night Rider service introduced as Bt Panjang - Marina Mall
in 2001 but it was withdrawn later that year.
Changes to Extenal services that ply Bt Panjang New Town
[171 - Service amended to serve Bt Panjang New Town in 1993. The
service was handed over to TIBS in 1995. This service was amended
to Bt Panjang Rd instead of Mandai Rd and Woodlands Rd in 1999.
Part of deleted sector of 171 route is part of 927]
[179 - Service introduced from Choa Chu Kang to Fajar Rd in 1993,
as a loop service. This service was withdrawn due to the LRT
opening in 1999]
[927 - Sevice amended to Woodlands Rd & Mandai Rd instead of Bt
Panjang Rd & Choa Chu Kang Rd in 1999. Part of deleted sector
of 927 route is part of 171]
[966 - Service amended to Bukit Panjang New town via dairy Farm Rd,
Petir Rd and Bt Panjang Rd.]
Thanks for the insight for Bukit Panjang services.
You forgot about service 179. :)
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HISTORY OF BISHAN SERVICES
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Background information:
Before the developmentof Bishan New Town, it was previously known
as Kampong San Teng. There was only squatter huts, a Chinese
Cemetry and temples situated around the Kg San teng area. There
were no bus services serving around Kg San Teng and only one road
serving the whole of Kg San Teng and many unnamed dirt tracks/roads
surrounding it.
In late 1981, the village was earmarked for urban development, many
squatters were cleared and resettled to other estatss like Ang Mo
Kio and Toa Payoh. It took at least 5-6 years to fully developed
its new Sattellite town at Bishan. The MRT and bus interchange was
still under construction at that time. When the new town is near
completion of its development, a new bus services starting from
Bishan Terminal to Toa Payoh was launched in 1986. Bishan, too,
started off as a roadside terminal before the services termiante at
Bishan Int, with easy access to the Bishan MRT, first of its kind
that the station platform is on ground level.
In the start of 1986, only service 56 serve Bishan and loop at Toa
Payoh and at the end of 1986, service 353 was introduced from Sin
Ming to Bisahn St 31 (Loop)
In 1987, service 58 from Bishan to Marina Centre was introduced to
provide Bishan residents proper and direct linkage to shopping
centres around Marina Centre area like Marina Square and Raffles
City. It was withdrawn when serviec 56 and 58 was integrated to
form service 56 in 1989/90.
In 1988, service 57 was renumbered from 353. This service was
re-routed to start from Bishan to Sin Ming Dr (Loop), to serve the
residents better instead of transferring buses to get to their
destinations around Bishan New Town. On the same year, Service 59
from Bishan to Jln Kayu (Loop) was introduced but it was shortened
to start from Ang Mo Kio a few years later.
In 1989/90, service 56 was integrated with service 58. Service 56
was extended to Marina Centre and part of the srvice 58 route (the
Marina Ctr stretch ) is now part of service 56.
The first "Bishan Townlink" service 410 was introduced in JUne
1992, with links to Sin Ming Dr. This service was swapped plates in
1993. At the same time, service 57 which plies along Sin Ming Dr
was withdrawn.
From 1993 onwards, here are the changes in the Bishan
Services
52 - New service that plies from Bishan to Jurong East (introdiced
on 23 Oct 05)
53 - New service that plies from Bishan to Hougang St 22 (Loop) in
1994, about a year later, it was extended to Changi Airpot
54 - New service that plies from Bishan to New Bridge Rd
(introduced on 5 dec 93), when 104 and 134 merged. The service was
amended to ply Bishan St 13 from 5 nov 06
55 - Service amended to serve Bishan instead of Ang Mo Kio in
1993
57 - New service that plies from Bishan to Bt Merah via Depot Rd on
31 jul 2005. This service ples to Thomson Rd, Kg Java Rd/Keng Lee
Rd instead of Bt Timah Rd / Duneanr Rd on 21 Jan 2007
58 - New service that plies from Bishan to Pasir Ris on 31 jul
2005.
59 - new service that plies from Bishan to Changi Village on
23 oct 2005, plies via Toa Payoh, Bedok Reservoir Rd and Tampines
New Town.
134 - Service amended to serve Bishan but it was withdrawn when 104
and 134 merged to form service 54.
In the past, Bishan Int was the only interchange with the least
services, 5 services i.e. 53, 54, 55, 56 & 410. With the
addition of the 4 new services - 52, 57, 58, 59, Bishan Int has
more variety of its services that ply different parts of Singapore.
Like 57 that goes to Bukit Merah, 58 goes to Paris Ris and so on.
Now Bishan Int has 9 services serving the needs of the Bishan
Residents.
SIN MING ROAD TERMINAL
In the past, only 130 plies from Sin Ming Rd terminal to Anson Rd
as well as CSS Bus no 5. When the Ang Mo Kio Int opens in 1983,
Service 130 amended to serve Ang Mo Kio Int leaving CSS 5 behind
which still terminates at Sin Ming Rd. At the end of 1986, sefvice
353 was introduced but too the service amended to start from Bishan
instead and renumbered as 57.
THe only sole service of Sin Ming Rd terminal was CSS 5. On Nov 97,
the service was renumbered as 605 and continued its operation
without any service changes until it was eventually withdrrawn on
Sep 2004. after its withdrawal, the Sin Mign Rd terminal is in a
quiet state.
edit: corrections made.
Thanks for the Bishan bus route history, where was the roadside
terminal located???
Bishan New Town developed quite fast in the early 1990s, a lot
of the flats along St 22, 23 and 24 were built up within 1 to 2
years. Even faster than Sengkang.