Short service disruption along BPLRT on Sunday evening due to power fault

There was a short train breakdown along Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) due to power failure on evening of Sunday (9 Dec). Transport operator SMRT informed there were no train services system-wide on the line at 8:44pm.

SMRT informed about the breakdown on its Twitter platform, adding that free regular and free bridging bus services were available at all affected stations:

[BPLRT] Due to a power fault, there will be no train services system-wide. Free regular and bridging bus services are available at all affected stations.

— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) December 9, 2018

Not many passangers were affected by the train service disruption along the line in the calm evening, but some replied and posted their comments to SMRT’s tweet:

https://twitter.com/kuhanesh88/status/1071748099205300225

SINGAPORE SMRT : END GAME

— heel_ameerul24 (@HAmeerul24) December 9, 2018

It’s never SMRT fault okay ? #JustSaying https://t.co/9wrZ8XFJEB

— Karlsten Chan (@KaiserKlose) December 9, 2018

LOL DOOMSDAY FOR SMRT https://t.co/P1CWUoW78I

— 방탄바보 (윤이) (@fangirlmodeee) December 9, 2018

Information and updates were also posted on TATA SMRT Facebook platform:

Wayne Chew wrote at 8:38pm: “No train svc on the BPLRT due to power failure. Free regular and Bridging bus services are activated.”

Wayne Chew updated at 9:04pm: “Add 15 mins travelling time on BPLRT due to earlier power failure.”

At 9:02 SMRT informed that the fault has been repaired, train service was returning to normal progressively:

[BPLRT] UPDATE: The fault has been rectified. Train service is progreesively returning to normal. Do continue to add 15 mins train travel time. Free regular and bridging bus services are still available at the affected stations.

— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) December 9, 2018

And at 9.10pm SMRT said on a tweet that the fault was cleared, the train services has resumed and free regular and bridging bus has stopped:

[BPLRT] CLEARED: Train services have resumed. Free regular and bridging bus services have ended.

— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) December 9, 2018

The transport minister, Khaw Boon Wan announced the $344 million renewal project for the 19-year-old LRT system in March earlier this year, stating that the system is reaching the end of its useful life.

The renewal project, which has started this year, has covered the upgrade of the line’s existing signalling system and said to introduce more redundancy to the system to ensure trains are kept running.

The power rail along the entire 7.8km-long BPLRT will also be replaced and more robust power rail brackets will be installed.

The new signalling system and new trains will be fully rolled out by 2022, while other works such as the replacement of the power rail, and decommissioning of the old signalling system’s track circuits should be completed by 2024.