Retro carnival at old railway station

Other National Day events include party on Scoot plane and Sing50 concert

The Tanjong Pagar Railway Station will open from 9am on National Day. There will be a retro carnival featuring funfair rides, games and bazaars on the premises of the 1932 station.
The Tanjong Pagar Railway Station will open from 9am on National Day. There will be a retro carnival featuring funfair rides, games and bazaars on the premises of the 1932 station. ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI

The defunct Tanjong Pagar Railway Station will be facilitating some time travel this National Day.

It will be taking the public back to yesteryear with a retro carnival that will include funfair rides, games and bazaars on the premises of the 1932 station.

The organiser, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), has arranged for a carousel, bumper cars and a bungee jump for children. There will also be stalls selling satay, kebabs and churros.

The National Day Parade will be screened live until 9pm and visitors will get to share on a board there their wishes and dreams for the nation as it celebrates its 50th year of independence.

The SG50 event is one of several taking place across Singapore.

SLA chief executive Tan Boon Khai said the former station has been popular with Singaporeans young and old since it was vested with the state in 2011.

It stands out for its historical significance and rustic charm. "As Singapore celebrates its Golden Jubilee, we welcome everyone to join us in our celebration of Singapore's 50th birthday at our iconic national monument," Mr Tan said.

The station, which was gazetted as a national monument in 2011, will open at 9am on Aug 9.

Built by French construction firm Brossard and Mopin, the three-storey station once housed a hotel that was frequented by dignitaries, including Malaysian royalty.

Technical support assistant Mohammad Firdaus Sulaiman, 28, said he plans to take his family there because of its historic value.

"It was owned by the Malaysian government back then and was a good food place that I used to frequent before it closed down.

"I would like to go back and share the SG50 experience with fellow Singaporeans as well."

Other Golden Jubilee celebrations include the unveiling of Jetstar Asia's SG50 plane yesterday and a two-hour party on a Scoot plane with celebrities such as Kumar and Irene Ang today .

On Aug 7, the Sing50 concert, a celebration of 50 years of Singapore music co-organised by The Straits Times and The Business Times, will be held at the Sports Hub. It will feature performers such as Dick Lee, Stefanie Sun and JJ Lin, along with 70 artists, a 1,000-strong choir,

pianists, rappers and the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra.

The Science Centre Singapore will offer free admission to Singaporeans during the Golden Jubilee weekend. Singapore citizens will be required to show their identity cards and each card will admit the holder and up to four children below the age of 16.

Admission for all visitors will be on a first-come-first-served basis at each attraction, subject to each attraction's capacity.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 31, 2015, with the headline Retro carnival at old railway station. Subscribe