There are many different things or events that make us love Singapore. Just a few days ago, there was an article that an author expressing his/her thoughts about bus service 67 from Tampines to Choa Chu Kang. This provides me an impetus for me to write a blog entry about my favourite bus service.
During the National Day, questions like what makes me love Singapore often pop up in my mind. Upon thinking hard, I realise that it is more of the native bus routes that makes me love Singapore.
147 Hougang to Clementi
Route information: An average of 35 fare stages in total.
Types of buses deployed currently: Mainly comprises of Volvo B9TLS, and Volvo Olympian 3-Axle and 4 Scania K230UB Batch 2 Euro IV and occasional cameos.
Journey Time from Hougang to Clementi: Roughly about 2 hrs.
I really admire the bus drivers that drive this service because they have to tahan 2 hrs of work per trip.
Some prominent landmarks that it pass by: Hougang, Serangoon, Bendemeer, Little India, Clarke Quay, Chinatown, Bukit Merah, Buona Vista, Clementi.
History of service 147 according to sgwiki.com:
Originally, it was plied between Jurong East Interchange and Potong Pasir Terminal. It is then merged with the then service 83 and extended to Upper Serangoon Terminal in 1993. It is amended to ply Waterloo Street, Middle Road, and Selegie Road (on the direction towards Upper Serangoon) and Jalan Besar, Bencoolen Street, and Bras Basah Road on the other (towards Jurong East).
Previously, it plies Victoria Street and Lavender Street (on the direction towards Upper Serangoon) and Lavender Street and North Bridge Road on the other (on the direction towards Jurong East).
In 1993, alternate trips terminated at Clementi MRT station and then it is shortened to Clementi MRT station during the 1993 Bus Rationalisation Exercise followed by an extension of the then service 105.
Between 1993 to 1998, service 147 is shifted to ply from Hougang to Clementi following the closure of Upper Serangoon Terminal.
It is amended to ply Prinsep Street in 1999.
Later on, in June 2003, following the presence of the new North-East Line, there were requests from members of the public to retain the service 147's present route when news of the 2003 bus rationalisation exercise is released. Service 147M is also introduced as a Nite Owl service during the 2000s but was withdrawn shortly after. The route is originally plied as a one-directional route as its day time counterpart from Bencoolen Street to Clementi Interchange.
I have not gone into bus spotting in the 1990s until I am around 14 years old when I identify bus serial numbers with their types. For me, I have benefited from this service and I am been taking this service as long as I can remember (since 5 years old). Previously, my grandma's hse is at Bendemeer and my parents and I usually take the then services 103 and 147 every Sundays. As my grandma's hse is just in front of the bus stop, I had a panoramic view of Bendemeer Road. I believe that my affinity with service 147 starts from here. 147 can be said as my primary drive towards my hobby of bus route lover.
As the years go by, in 1990s, some of my relatives move to Bukit Merah and Queensway area, and I begin to utilize more of this service. In 2000 to 2009, as I have grown up and begin to go town more often, 147 is the way to go from my hse to Bugis, City Hall, Chinatown, and Dhoby Ghaut. Thus, the bond grows. In last semester of my schooling, 147 becomes my daily service as I have utilized it to reach my school at Clementi. My bond with it grows stronger.
In the 1990s, one can see many non-airconditioned buses moving around the whole of Singapore. However, just within two decades, they have started to phase out. For SMRT, these buses have either been scrapped or converted to aircon buses. For SBS Transit, majority of the non-air-conditioned buses are the ones that ply the Jurong Industrial Services and some selected trunk services and they are mainly double decker buses. Thus, bus deployments for service 147 have come a long way. Non-air-conditioned buses used to ply on service 147 when I was six years old as far as I can remember. Then, between 1993 and 1998, air-conditioned buses started to come in. By 1999, it had become a full air-conditioned bus service.
Initially, when I was in my secondary school days, majority of the buses deployed were Volvo Olympian 3-Axles Batches 1 and 2 and some Leyland Olympian 3-Axle and Volvo B10M Mark II and III, Striders and DM3500.
As Singapore ventures towards a journey of becoming a more disabled-friendly nation in the 21st century, this service has undergone major revamp towards its bus deployments. Now, around of half of its deployed buses are wheelchair-accessible buses (mostly Volvo B9TL) (WAB) as 147 is the 2nd bus service in Singapore to be declared as Wheelchair Accessible Bus service.
About its journey, I can say that in all my journeys in 147, there are numerous interesting incidents. Many of the elderly utilize this bus service from Hougang or Serangoon to Bencoolen Street. Many of our fellow Indians have used this service to go to Little India. In most of my bus journeys in 147, there are always kind people that give up their seats to the people in need. At many incidents when the buses are packed to the entrance door, people move in as much as they can and even the stairs are filled to let others have a chance of boarding this service even though it can be dangerous.
So to conclude, Singapore has gone a long way of attaining 44 years of independence and myself have gone a long way too. I believe that many people have their own areas or things in Singapore that they love. 147 too has gone a long way but the journey has not ceased.
To end, I just add the wonderful pictures taken by fellow bus fans.
