The series of train breakdowns have finally caught the SBS Transit’s North East Line (NEL) this evening (Thursday 16 Nov) with commuters tweeting about delays experience along the line starting at 6:19pm.
Nel delay #SMRTBreakdowns #smrt #smrtdelays
— Chief Retirement Officer Yuantai (@wannabdoc) November 16, 2017
NEL train fault, no service from either directions while they fix the problem?¿?
— Aloysius Mok (@alloymkl) November 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/fly_me_away/status/931105197014708224
I KNEW IT im now stuck on a train on NEL both directions are halted, the curse has struck again
— Xie (@xierh) November 16, 2017
@SMRT_Singapore Northeast line has train stopping "for a short while" at Outram Park
— Eh Bruh (@samthingies) November 16, 2017
At 6:24pm, SBS Transit announced via in a Twitter post that NEL service was delayed due to a train fault at Clarke Quay Station towards Punggol. It advised additional travel time of about 10mins in both directions:
16/11, 6.20pm: NEL svc is delayed due to a Train fault at Clarke Quay stn twds Punggol. Additional travel time of abt 10mins is expected in both directions
— SBS Transit (@SBSTransit_Ltd) November 16, 2017
Other tweets from affected commuters continued to come in:
NEL is down 😒
— アスタ (@Astam0n) November 16, 2017
Just in case you all forget about SBS Transit, here's a delay on the NEL. Lol. https://t.co/EqRlXKAfL1
— Darryl Kang (@dk) November 16, 2017
Nel not moving. Stuck at sengkang station. Don't tell me????
— Jay Wong (@WZJay) November 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/soshinbbluee21/status/931106567029587968
Delays on North East line tonight. DelAys on downtown line this morning. Is someone hacking the Singapore public transport system or is it just incompetence? #mrt #lta #smrt
— Nicholas Cocks (@NickoCocks) November 16, 2017
NEL down. Delay from 10mins extend to 15mins. But its more than 15mins now. Another world class act from SG.
— Derrick Lim (@DerrickL3768) November 16, 2017
Stuck in Clarke Quay NEL train. Another train is coming. They are telling us to hold on to handrails.
— Fuãd Steven (@FSteven) November 16, 2017
#NEL is down… 5mins to pang kang… rain is pouring… heart is breaking~~~
— マーシャル (@Nakahama10) November 16, 2017
Stay off nel. Both directions affected. Been 45mins since the fault occurred.
— Chief Retirement Officer Yuantai (@wannabdoc) November 16, 2017
TRAIN DELAY: NEL – This is the latest info.
Are you affected by the delays? https://t.co/odELYO7FU6
— Mediacorp 987 (@987fm) November 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/zayleefaith/status/931118360380653570
While not all commuters realise that NEL is run by SBS Transit, but still the tweets gave a picture of the effect of the service disruption:
@SMRT_Singapore YOU'RE SO SHIT. TRAIN DELAYED AND I STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT pic.twitter.com/Zzr8fTyTAW
— Jay (@FREEFROMBRACES) November 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/isabeloparena/status/931115347943481349
Another one bites the dust… #NEL #SMRTBreakdowns #smrtdelays #smrt pic.twitter.com/PUGUGOiD6O
— PriMenon (@vindicated_pri) November 16, 2017
At 7:19pm, SBS Transit tweeted again that NEL was still delayed, free passing & free bridging bus rides were available at designated bus stops between Outram Park NE3 and Farrer Park NE8:
16/11, 7.18pm: NEL delay – free passing & free bridging bus rides are available at designated bus stops betwn Outram Pk NE3 & Farrer Pk NE8.
— SBS Transit (@SBSTransit_Ltd) November 16, 2017
Sett Paing tweeted at 7:36pm that he got chased out at Clarke Quay:
Got chased out #clarkequay @SBSTransit_Ltd @SMRT_Singapore @ChannelNewsAsia pic.twitter.com/pJ8rR1KsGm
— Sett Paing (@settpaing) November 16, 2017
And commuters kept posting on Twitter, with some noting how SMRT is getting the flak from commuters instead of SBS Transit:
When the purple line is operated by @SBSTransit_Ltd , but @SMRT_Singapore got scolded instead. #getyourfactrightbeforewritingatweet.
— imdiscreet (@imdiscreet1) November 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/eXAKR/status/931125471281954816
not sure because I don't normally take the NSL home, but 40 minutes to YCK from raffles place doesn't seem normal
— Blue Bird Delivery Service (@mechajiki) November 16, 2017
Cb NEL fault. Singapore train really ….
— JueHua ♌ (@Juehuaaa) November 16, 2017
Commuters also noted that the free bus rides didn’t help much:
Cudnt spot free Bus #SMRT waited 10 mins. #SBS Bus charging. buses jam packed waited 45min ClarkeQuay. will @SMRT_Singapore reimburse grab & uber bills tonight? 17$ for share taxi 😰
— Pattu (@avijit_patnaik) November 16, 2017
At 8:04pm, SBS informed that NEL has progressively back to regular service at affected station since 7:53pm. Trains have said to be now in full services at all stations:
16/11, 8.03pm: NEL is progressively back to regular svc at affected stns at 7:53pm. Trains are now in full svc at all stns.
— SBS Transit (@SBSTransit_Ltd) November 16, 2017
But Carol Tham advised SBS Transit:
https://twitter.com/ladywolferin/status/931132749355745280
