Trip 7: 1/10

Tight Fit - 139

   Right. So today, rather than starting at Geylang like I did for the past two trips, I started closer to home. Once again, at Bukit Merah Interchange, my first journey was on Trunk Service 139 to Toa Payoh. The bus was once again a Volvo B10TL double-decker (one of my favourites as mentioned before).

Redhill Estate (turning out of Lengkok Bahru) (139)

   One of my favourite combinations of bus service and model on display here, as it is interesting how the large, old double-decker can wind through the narrow roads of Lengkok Bahru in Redhill Estate. Service 139 afterwards connects through to River Valley, Dhoby Ghaut, Little India and St. Michael's Estate.

Passing Great World City (139)

Passing MacDonald House in Dhoby Ghaut (139)

Little India (139)

Jalan Rajah, St. Michael's Estate (139)

Arriving at Toa Payoh Bus Interchange (139)

10% - 159

   A bit of a milestone here at Toa Payoh Interchange, as after my breakfast (at 10 a.m.), I ticked off Trunk Service 159 from Toa Payoh to Sengkang. At 37.5/371, Service 159 marks 10% progress on the challenge. A minor landmark but one nonetheless. 

   Service 159 serves the estates of Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio, Serangoon North and Hougang before terminating at Sengkang.

The North-South Line MRT tracks near Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 (159)

Approaching Ang Mo Kio Town Centre (159)

The heart of Hougang Estate (159)

Arriving in Sengkang (159)

Arteries of the Northeast - 82, 372, 386

   At Sengkang, I decided to trek on Feeders again with Feeder Service 372, which primarily serves Anchorvale in the western part of Sengkang, but looping in the town centre before going through Anchorvale again and ending back at the Interchange.

Flats and condominiums in the town centre (372)

   After Feeder 372 and a short MRT ride north, I also finished off Feeder Service 386 while also stopping for lunch at Punggol Plaza in Punggol East along the way.

   Feeder 386 loops at Punggol East, while also serving the new flats of Edgefield and Edgedale Plains and connecting through to Punggol Bus Interchange.

Feeder 386 crosses the Punggol Waterway twice

Skies darkening in Punggol East

Feeder 386 also serves Oasis LRT Station along Punggol Drive

   After the Feeders, I went on to finish the other half of Trunk Service 82 towards Serangoon Central, passing through Sengkang and Hougang.

Punggol Park (actually located along Hougang Ave 10) (82)

Vast field at Hougang Central (82)

The Switcheroo - 105, 143M, 201

   After arriving in Serangoon, I thought that I might also finish the other loop services I only took half of, 143M and 201. To get from Serangoon to Jurong East, I took the entirety of Trunk Service 105, which perfectly gets me to where I want to be.

Back to Toa Payoh (105)

   Service 105 serves Lorong Chuan, Toa Payoh, Scotts Road and Clementi before ending up at Jurong East.

Orchard Road from Scotts Road (105)

   Service 105 duplicates the East-West MRT Line from Commonwealth to Jurong East, will definitely help during full-day closures next month. 

Clementi (105)

   From Jurong East, Trunk Service 143M down to Pandan Gardens, and after a walk around the estate to wait for a double-decker, Trunk Service 201 to Kent Ridge Terminal, passing Clementi and West Coast Road.

Following its parent service down to Pandan Gardens (143M)

Turning out onto West Coast Road (143M)

Bus services along West Coast Road

Meeting the MRT tracks again at Clementi (201)

Last Round - 123M

Near HarbourFront Interchange

   After getting off at Kent Ridge Terminal, I took Service 10 to HarbourFront, though before I go home, I took one last round for today, Trunk Service 123M to Tiong Bahru Road and getting off at my local bus stop.

   Service 123M mainly connects residents of Telok Blangah and Bukit Purmei to Tiong Bahru MRT, so always gets a good load of commuter traffic during weekdays (and especially peak hours), so the bus I took was basically full from HarbourFront all the way to Tiong Bahru. 

Recap of trip:

Routes done - 82 (half), 105, 123M (half), 139, 143M (half), 159, 201 (half), 372, 386

Progress - 42.5/371 (11.45 %)

Trip 6: Sunday Specials

The Woodlands - 856, 926, 961C

   Once again, I started at Lorong 1 Geylang, this time, on a Sunday to catch the Sunday route of Trunk Service 961 (961C). Service 961's route runs from Lorong 1 Geylang all the way to Woodlands via Beach Road, Chinatown, Queensway and Upper Bukit Timah. 

Though called 961C/961#, route displays and bus stop poles still display 961.

   What sets 961C apart from 961 is that it loops around Marina Centre and serves attractions such as Suntec City and the Singapore Flyer.

Entering Marina Centre, the normal route of 961 would make a right turn at this junction.

Chinatown (961C)

Kranji MRT Station (961C)

   After around a two hour trip up the Upper Bukit Timah corridor, I arrived at Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange, which will serve the North of Singapore for the next few years as the original Interchange is renovated as part of the construction of the Thomson-East Coast MRT Line.

   After having my usual lunch, of course, I rode a loop on the special Trunk Service 926.

   Service 926 runs from Woodlands and the Singapore Zoo in Mandai and only operates on weekends. It has a flat fare of $1.90, as opposed to the regular distance fares on other Trunk Services.

Entering Mandai Lake Road, seen also the other 2 bus routes serving the zoo, 138 and 927. (926)

A road sign you won't see anywhere else in Singapore (926)

Scenery along the way (926)

   Getting back to Woodlands from the Zoo, I took a full trip on Trunk Service 856 between Woodlands and Yishun, another route I like to take between the estates when I don't really want to take the MRT.

Exiting Woodlands Town Centre (856)

   The route goes up to Woodlands Train Checkpoint from Marsiling MRT, where it receives most of its demand, and also serves Senoko and Sembawang.

Bus Stop at Woodlands Train Checkpoint (856)

Admiralty Road West (856)

Sembawang Road (856)

Going Marine - 16, 853C

   From Yishun, I ticked off another Sunday service, Trunk Service 853C runs from Yishun all the way to Upper East Coast, while the weekday and Saturday version terminates at Lorong 1 Geylang. The route traverses the roads of Ang Mo Kio, Serangoon, Geylang, Tanjong Katong and Marine Parade.

Grey clouds over Yishun (853C)

The route goes through Geylang Bahru (853C)

Bridge over the Kallang River (853C)

A typical shophouse in Tanjong Katong (853C)

   Passing through Marine Parade, the roads are majorly realigned as per construction works on the Thomson-East Coast Line.

   Arriving at the Upper East Coast Bus Terminal, a minor bus terminal around the outskirts of Bedok, I took Service 25 a short distance out to Bedok MRT and Town Centre.

Exiting Upper East Coast Terminal

   Since it was already the late afternoon, I decided to end the day's trip with a full journey on Trunk Service 16, from Bedok to Bukit Merah, passing through the realigned roads of Marine Parade, Joo Chiat, Orchard Road and Tiong Bahru.

Sun setting over Bedok South (16)

The old Kallang Airport Control Tower (16)

Arriving back at Tiong Bahru (16)

Recap of trip:

Routes done - 16, 853C, 856, 926, 961C

Progress - 35.5/371 (9.57 %)