Another train breakdown occurred along the East West Line (EWL) on Saturday around 9pm.
This time SMRT was quick to inform that the delay was due to a track fault between Tampines and Pasir Ris.
At 9:55pm a tired commuter tweeted to SMRT, asking the company to move the train at Simei:
please move the fucking train at simei aku penat sial @SMRT_Singapore
— ash🍒 (@highsinhues) August 18, 2018
This time SMRT was quick to respond, at 9:57pm it posted a tweet that due to a track fault, train travel time between Tampines and Pasir Ris will be delayed for 20mins:
[EWL]: Due to a track fault, train travel time btwn #Tampines and #PasirRis will be delayed for 20mins. Free regular bus service is available btwn #Tampines and #PasirRis.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) August 18, 2018
At 9:58pm Alan Yap responded to SMRT on TATA SMRT Facebook , giving useful details for the free bus services:
Alan Yap wrote: “LATEST UPDATE EWL: DUE TO TRACK FAULT TRAVEL TIME BETWEEN TAMPINES AND PASIR RIS WILL BE DELAYED BY 20 MINUTES FREE REGULAR BUS SERVICES IS AVAILABLE BETWEEN TAMPINES AND PASIR RIS STATIONS.” “
This means passengers may board ANY SBS/SMRT/Go-Ahead public bus service for free (no need to tap card or pay cash fare) at key bus stops outside these affected stations. Look out for the flashing orange blinker light at the affected bus stops. Do not be confused with the point to point MRT bridging shuttle service, which is not activated at this present moment.”
Others also posted about the delay on TATA SMRT Facebook platform:
John Robert Lee shared a post from MRT Singapore Service Information at 10:02pm; he wrote: “Track failure between Tampines and Pasir Ris, causing service delay of 20 mins. Free bus services available between Tampines & Pasir Ris.”
Wayne Chew wrote at 10:03pm: “Add 20 mins between Pasir Ris and Tampines due to track fault.”
At 10:38pm Syed M Daniel shared a photo from MRT Singapore Service Information:
And at 11:39 John Robert Lee shared a video from MRT Singapore Service Information; he wrote: “This is the current situation at Pasir Ris. Entering the station via the opposite direction from Tampines at a very slow speed. I am speculating this incident may last until tonight.”
Other passengers also tweeted about the delay:
https://twitter.com/_darryltwj/status/1030816466365370368
Oi smrt wtf u doing sia seriously
— Jay (@JiangHua9) August 18, 2018
Back to back train faults???
Ladies and Gentlemen,SMRT is back!!!— MAMAKUTTYYYY (@NavinRB) August 18, 2018
Since the train can’t go from Tampines to Pasir Ris, the rest of the trains behind will be held up as well. I got fed up of waiting in the train at Tanah Merah station and went to take bus instead. 🖕🏻 SMRT
— Alwyn Sim (@ashenim) August 18, 2018
At 10:19pm SMRT tweeted that the train service would be resumed in 5 minutes:
[EWL] UPDATE: Our engineers are working on rectifying the fault. Train service between #Tampines and #PasirRis will be resumed in 5mins.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) August 18, 2018
But at 10:27pm SMRT asked for longer travel time of 10 minutes between Tampines and Pasir Ris:
[EWL] UPDATE: Due to an earlier track fault, please expect longer travelling time of 10 mins between #Tampines and #PasirRis.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) August 18, 2018
Darryl informed at 10:26pm, it took 1 hour from Bugis to Tampines:
https://twitter.com/_darryltwj/status/1030823244532604928
At 10:49pm SMRT repeated its tweet:
[EWL] UPDATE: Due to an earlier track fault, please expect longer travelling time of 10 mins btwn #Tampines and #PasirRis.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) August 18, 2018
A passenger questioned the promised free buses because the bus drivers at Tampines Interchange were unaware of it. They said there’s no announcement at all. It was nearly impossible to find ‘free shuttle buses’:
https://twitter.com/hereisjoey/status/1030829767052779520
Bitter, tired commuters kept posting complaints on the breakdown and the way it was handled:
https://twitter.com/hereisjoey/status/1030830647760179200
https://twitter.com/hereisjoey/status/1030830647760179200
https://twitter.com/hereisjoey/status/1030831383873085440
https://twitter.com/Hxmxzxh/status/1030829189107048448
At 11:08 SMRT again posted a tweet expecting 10 minutes longer traveling time:
[EWL] UPDATE: Due to an earlier track fault, please expect longer travelling time of 10 mins btwn #Tampines and #PasirRis. Our staff is working on it.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) August 18, 2018
And repeated it again at 11:25pm:
[EWL] UPDATE: Due to an earlier track fault, please expect longer travelling time of 10 mins between #Tampines and #PasirRis. Our staff is working on it.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) August 18, 2018
Finally at 11:45pm SMRT informed that the fault was cleared:
[EWL] CLEARED: Normal train services between #Tampines and #PasirRis have resumed.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) August 18, 2018