Redhill MRT station

Redhill
 EW18 
红山[1]
ரெட்ஹில்[2]
A photograph of Redhill station, the low-lying structure in the middle of the photo, surrounded by trees and high-rise buildings
Exterior of Redhill MRT station
General information
Location920 Tiong Bahru Road
Singapore 158792[3]
Coordinates1°17′23″N 103°49′0″E / 1.28972°N 103.81667°E / 1.28972; 103.81667[3]
SystemMass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
OwnerLand Transport Authority (LTA)[4]
OperatorSMRT Trains
Platforms2 (1 Island platform)
Tracks2
ConnectionsBus, taxi[5]
Construction
Structure type
Elevated
Cycle facilities
Yes
AccessibleYes (except for Exit B)
ArchitectBSK-BS Konsult
History
Opened12 March 1988 (1988-03-12)
Former namesAlexandra
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station
Tiong Bahru
towards Pasir Ris
 East–West Line Queenstown
towards Tuas Link
Location
Redhill is located in Singapore Rail central area
Redhill
Redhill
Location within Singapore Rail central area

Redhill MRT station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station in Singapore on the East–West Line (EWL). Operated by SMRT, the station serves nearby landmarks such as the Delta Swimming Complex and Thye Hong Centre.

First announced in May 1982 as Alexandra, it was renamed to Redhill in June 1983. The station commenced operations along with the entire MRT system on 12 March 1988 by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Bicycle facilities for the station were expanded in July 1990. Half-height platform screen doors and high-volume low-speed fans were installed by August 2011 and the first quarter of 2013, respectively. In March 2017, a linkway was installed between Redhill and the Enabling Village, a community space for disabled people to be integrated into society.

Like other elevated stations on the Tiong Bahru–Clementi stretch, the station feature grilles and horizontal louvres. Despite its name, Redhill features a pink colour scheme. Its roof also has clerestory windows.

History

The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system was conceptualised in a 1971 study conducted by the Singapore Government and the United Nations Development Programme. The study – which assessed land-use transportation needs – concluded that Singapore would need a rail transit system by 1992.[6] Further studies and debates on the feasibility of building a rapid transit system took place from 1972 to 1980,[7] with Alexandra station appearing in initial plans by May 1982.[8] Redhill was proposed to be part of the East–West Line, which was to have 22 stations and run from Jurong West to Bedok.[8][9] On 30 May 1982, communications minister Ong Teng Cheong confirmed that the government approved construction of the MRT;[10] Alexandra, along with other stations between Tiong Bahru and Clementi, were initially planned to be part of Phase II of the system.[11] To increase the catchment of commuters, the provisional MRT authority moved that portion to be part of Phase IA, an extension of Phase I of the MRT, in June 1983.[12][11][13][a] Around this time, Alexandra station was renamed to Redhill station.[11][12]

By September 1983, the Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC) was calling for the prequalification of consultants to design the civil and architectural works of Phase IA elevated stations[14] – a month later, eleven local companies, nine of which were joint ventures between local companies and foreign businesses, were shortlisted for pre-qualification out of 38 applications.[15] Ultimately, in January 1984, the MRTC appointed a five-member joint venture consisting of Mott, Hay and Anderson, Sir William Halcrow and Partners, BSK-BS Konsult, DP Architects, and the Public Works Department (PWD), to be the architectural and engineering consultants for Phase IA in a S$5.99 million (US$4.47 million) contract.[16][17]

Nine single tenderers and joint ventures were prequalified for Contract 202 by October 1984, which detailed the construction of Redhill and Commonwealth stations as well as viaducts from Delta Swimming Complex to Queensway Circus.[18] Ultimately, the MRTC awarded the contract to Sumitomo Construction in February 1985 for S$50 million (US$37.31 million) due to Sumitomo's experiences with major prestressed concrete bridge projects. Construction of Redhill and Commonwealth was expected to start in the same month and be completed by December 1987.[19][20] By April and November 1987, the pink tiles for the station were already up, and operations were expected to start in April 1988, respectively.[21][22] In February 1988, it was announced that Red Hill, along with Tiong Bahru station, will have an open house on 13 and 14 February, with expected operations moved to the middle of March.[23][24] On 12 March 1988, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew officially launched the entire system, including stations in the Tiong Bahru-Clementi stretch. During the opening ceremony, Lee addressed to a crowd of 500 guests before riding a train to Queenstown.[25]

In July 1990, it was announced that as part of the cycle-and-ride scheme, 10 stations, including Redhill, would have their bicycle stands extended.[26] Following a rise in track intrusions as well as commuters slipping when rushing for the train, the LTA and SMRT decided to install platform screen doors, where it was expected for the works to be completed by 2012.[27] After several tests at different stations,[28] works for the half-height platform screen doors were expected to start in 2010,[29] with eventual installation and operations commencing at Redhill station by August 2011.[30] The station was installed with high-volume low-speed fans by the first quarter of 2013.[31] In December 2017, works were completed for a 400 metres (440 yd) linkway from Redhill station to the Enabling Village, a community space for people with disabilities to be integrated in society, to make it more accessible for those with mobility issues.[32] Prior to the linkway, the journey between the two places was a "challenge" for people with disabilities due to hills in the area. It was announced in March 2017 that as part a collaboration between the LTA and SG Enable, Redhill will serve as a test bed for "new mobility technologies and infrastructure" in order to improve accessibility for those with disabilities.[33]

Details

Redhill station is on the EWL with the station number of EW18, situated between Tiong Bahru and Queenstown stations.[34] When it opened, it had the station number of W4[35] before being changed to its current station number in August 2001 as a part of a system-wide campaign to cater to the expanding MRT System.[36][37] As a part of the EWL, the station is operated by SMRT Trains.[38] Like many stations on the initial MRT network, Redhill has an island platform and is elevated.[39][40] The station operates between 5:49 am and 12:08 am daily, with train frequencies varying from 2–5 minutes peak hour to an average of 5 minutes for off peak hours.[41][42] The station is bounded by Tiong Bahru Road. It has two exits and serves surrounding amenities such as the Delta Swimming Complex, Thye Hong Centre, and Leng Kee Community Club.[43][5] Redhill is mostly wheelchair-accessible and has bicycle facilities.[5][44]

A photograph of Redhill's platforms, which features its pink walls and the clerestory windows of its roof
Redhill's pink walls and roof

Redhill station is a two-storey, elevated station.[45] Its ground floor has the station's plant rooms, allowing for easy maintenance access. The upper floor, which is independent of the station's viaduct, has the station's communications and relay rooms, as well as the platforms[46] – like many stations on the initial MRT network, Redhill's platforms were built in the island platform configuration.[47] Like other stations in the Tiong Bahru-Clementi stretch of Phase IA, it was designed to have an identity similar to Singaporean traditions, according to BSK-BS Konsult's Michael Granit, who was in charge of the design philosophy for Phase IA.[48]

Its horizontal louvres, what The Straits Times has described as "brashly coloured grilles which run right round the station, interrupted only by the regularly spaced columns",[49] are equated to French windows in shophouses.[50] Its platform columns can also be equated to the palladium columns in shophouses.[50] Despite the station name being "Redhill", it features pink walls.[51][b] This was done to make the station "be pleasant to the eye" and to distinguish it from other stations within the stretch.[53] According to the MRTC, the pastel shade of the wall are reminiscent of traditional colours used for shophouses.[50] Additionally, the roof for Redhill was an important design element as it would be able to be seen from high rise flats, with its roof featuring clerestory windows that makes the roof "look like huge lanterns" as well as being cantilevered to reduce rain shedding on platforms.[54] It also has horizontal slats to reduce sun exposure to the trains and the apparent height of the upper roof line.[50]

Notes

  1. ↑ The EWL was initially planned to run between City Hall and Outram Park stations as part of Phase I of the MRT. Following the inclusion of Phase IA, Phase I of the EWL was planned to run from City Hall to Clementi stations.[11]
  2. ↑ The LTA however says that the colour palette used is red[52]

References

  1. ↑ "System Map" (PDF). LTA (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 10 December 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  2. ↑ "System Map" (PDF). LTA (in Tamil). Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Redhill MRT Station". Onemap. SLA. Archived from the original on 12 June 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  4. ↑ "New Rail Financing Framework". Land Transport Authority. 1 January 2022. Archived from the original on 14 January 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Redhill – Map". SMRT Journeys. 11 June 2025. Archived from the original on 25 July 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  6. ↑ Richmond 2008, pp. 364–365.
  7. ↑ Richmond 2008, pp. 365–367.
  8. 1 2 "Proposed MRT Stations". The Straits Times. 23 May 1982. p. 1. Retrieved 23 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  9. ↑ "You May Be Able to Ride on a Train as Early as 1988". The Straits Times. 26 May 1982. p. 14. Retrieved 4 July 2026 – via NewspaperSG.
  10. ↑ "Go-Ahead For MRT: Work Starts in '84". The Straits Times. 30 May 1982. p. 1. Retrieved 2 July 2026 – via NewspaperSG.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Wee, Agnes (10 June 1983). "Phase I of MRT modified to cover a wider area". The Business Times. p. 1. Retrieved 7 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  12. 1 2 "Now first phase takes a step up". The Straits Times. 10 June 1983. p. 1. Retrieved 14 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  13. ↑ "More people can use MRT sooner". The Straits Times. 10 June 1983. p. 15. Archived from the original on 15 June 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  14. ↑ Wee, Agnes (16 September 1983). "Japanese win first MRT civil engineering contract". The Business Times. p. 1. Retrieved 26 August 2026 – via NewspaperSG.
  15. ↑ Sin Giok, Oei (29 October 1983). "11 local builders qualify for first phase of MRT". Singapore Monitor. p. 2. Retrieved 7 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  16. ↑ "Five-member team wins $5.99m MRT contract". The Business Times. 12 January 1984. p. 1. Retrieved 9 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  17. ↑ Dhaliwal, Rav (12 January 1984). "Joint venture bags $5.99 m design job". The Straits Times. p. 17. Retrieved 26 August 2026 – via NewspaperSG.
  18. ↑ Lim, Soon Neo (3 October 1984). "MRTC pre-qualifies 37 companies". The Business Times. p. 2. Retrieved 9 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  19. ↑ Yap, Boh Hoon (8 February 1985). "Sumitomo wins $50m civil works contract under MRT Phase 1A". The Business Times. p. 1. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  20. ↑ "Sumitomo gets job to build stations, viaduct". The Straits Times. 8 February 1985. p. 19. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  21. ↑ Lim, Soon Neo (23 April 1987). "Local art works to go on show at MRT stations". The Business Times. p. 2. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  22. ↑ "20 stations by next year". The Straits Times. 6 November 1987. p. 20. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  23. ↑ "Open house at six MRT stations". The Business Times. 5 February 1988. p. 2. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  24. ↑ "Six East–West Line MRT stations to hold open days". The Straits Times. 6 February 1988. p. 25. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  25. ↑ Dhaliwal, Rav (13 March 1988). "Well done, says PM". The Straits Times. p. 1. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  26. ↑ "New MRT park and ride scheme". The Straits Times. 15 July 1990. p. 1. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  27. ↑ Wong, Siew Ying (26 January 2008). "Above-ground MRT stations to have platform screen doors by 2012". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 1 February 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  28. ↑ Lim, Helen (12 November 2012). "Pasir Ris chosen to represent terminal station for safety doors". LTA (response to letter). Archived from the original on 30 November 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  29. ↑ "Installation of Half Height Platform Screen Doors Pasir Ris Station". LTA (press release). 12 August 2009. Archived from the original on 30 November 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  30. ↑ "Completion of Half Height Platform Screen Doors on East–West Line". LTA (press release). 31 August 2011. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  31. ↑ "Enhancing Connectivity and Comfort for Commuters". LTA (press release). 13 October 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  32. ↑ Abdullah, Zhaki (11 December 2017). "Route between Redhill MRT station and Enabling Village made more accessible". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  33. ↑ Abdullah, Zhaki (8 March 2017). "Parliament: Open strollers allowed on buses from April 2". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  34. ↑ "System Map" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  35. ↑ "Going to N1, B3, W11, El2, anyone?". The Straits Times. 25 October 1985. p. 21. Retrieved 19 November 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  36. ↑ Salim, Shazalina (3 August 2001). "Red, green and grey". Today. p. 9. Retrieved 15 December 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
  37. ↑ "New Signage System For MRT And LRT Network". LTA. Archived from the original on 1 August 2003. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  38. ↑ "Getting Around – Public Transport – Rail Network". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  39. ↑ "Open house at six MRT stations". The Business Times. 5 February 1988. p. 2. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  40. ↑ Dhaliwal, Rav (28 April 1987). "Getting to know the network and how it will work". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 19. Retrieved 19 December 2020 – via NewspaperSG.
  41. ↑ "Redhill – First & Last Train". SMRT Journeys. 11 June 2025. Archived from the original on 11 June 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  42. ↑ "LTA | Transport Tools | MRT/LRT". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  43. ↑ "Redhill – Exits". SMRT Journeys. 11 June 2025. Archived from the original on 8 June 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  44. ↑ "Redhill – Amenities". SMRT Journeys. 11 June 2025. Archived from the original on 12 June 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  45. ↑ "Open house at six MRT stations". The Business Times. 5 February 1988. p. 2. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  46. ↑ Copsey et al. 1989, p. 673.
  47. ↑ Dhaliwal, Rav (28 April 1987). "Getting to know the network and how it will work". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 19. Retrieved 19 December 2020 – via NewspaperSG.
  48. ↑ MRTC 1987, p. 13 and 16.
  49. ↑ NG. (10 February 1988). "Lessons in architecture, MRT-style". The Straits Times. p. 3. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  50. 1 2 3 4 MRTC 1987, p. 16.
  51. ↑ "Bright and scenic ride". The Straits Times. 10 March 1988. p. 20. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  52. ↑ "East–West Line". LTA. 14 June 2024. Archived from the original on 14 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  53. ↑ Dhaliwal, Rav (5 August 1985). "Overhead MRT stations easy on the eye". The Straits Times. p. 15. Retrieved 11 June 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  54. ↑ MRTC 1987, p. 16-20.

Bibliography

External Media
image icon Site of Redhill's location By The Straits Times
  • Official website
  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Redhill MRT Station at Wikimedia Commons
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