Commuters taking train along the North South Line (NSL) on Tuesday (22 Jan) morning had to endure delays caused by a train fault at Marsiling.
Reports from passengers posted on TATA SMRT Facebook started since nearly 8am:
Edy Cheong wrote at 7:51am: “Train fault at Marsiling.”
JX Li wrote at 7:56am: “Something not very correct… Yewtee heading towards woodland.” He shared a photo:
ทะนาซีการ์ รามาซามี่ responded at 8:00am: “Stuck inside that very train..” ?
JX Li added at 8:12am: “Estimate delay 30min. Announcement thru PA system.”
At 8:06am SMRT posted an official announcement on Twitter platform, asking for 30 minutes to be added for travelling time from Woodlands to Yew Tee towards Jurong East:
[NSL]: Due to a train fault at Marsiling, pls add 30mins train travel time from #Woodlands to #YewTee towards #JurongEast.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) January 22, 2019
Hadi Abdul who was heading towards the Marina Bay, responded to SMRT’s tweet by saying that it was not completely correct as both sides were affected:
Both sides are affected. Please update your tweet. I'm taking the train towards Marina Bay and your misrepresentation will cause my boss to question my story pic.twitter.com/ta2lYwYRr6
— Hadi Abdul (@hadi_abd92) January 22, 2019
Vivek Nishad tweeted a video that he has been stuck for 15 minutes:
Thanks SMRT! Brialliant service as usual 🙂 pic.twitter.com/WDi82kpajm
— Vivek Nıshad ⎊ (@viveknishad98) January 22, 2019
Hadi Abdul tweeted again at 8:14am, showing a photo of a train on the platform towards Marina Bay, which has been stuck for 10 minutes:
I'm in Marsiling. Both sides are affected and your tweet doesn't reflect that. This is the train on the platform towards Marina Bay. It's been here for 10 mins and some people are alighting to take the cab. pic.twitter.com/usGdyOfzBJ
— Hadi Abdul (@hadi_abd92) January 22, 2019
Other passengers also said the announcement from SMRT should be updated correctly:
I’m travelling from braddell to sembawang and the train has paused for quite some time between each stop. It’s already 20mins and I’m on the way to khatib when i should have arrived at sbw. Please update your tweet and make correct announcement !
— – (@Xxxxxxxqwerttgv) January 22, 2019
SMRT says track fault between yew and woodlands @ JE direction, but train actually starts slowing/pausing a little longer from Bishan
— Zech pls (@marqisezech) January 22, 2019
At 8:35am Hadi Abdul tweeted again to SMRT:
You want to "gain the trust of the people" yet you can't be reliable with your information. 35 mins since your original tweet for this delay, and you've yet to acknowledge that the Marina Bay side is also affected.
— Hadi Abdul (@hadi_abd92) January 22, 2019
And Allie complained and shared photos of the situation that she was caught in:
22/01 – Going back to work after my holiday, and greeted with this at Admiralty mrt. Why SMRT whyyyyyy…? pic.twitter.com/CZXaXSz7CB
— Allie (@aleeshakhoo) January 22, 2019
At 8:34am SMRT, without acknowledging the passengers posts, asked for 15 minutes additional travel time from Woodlands to Yew Tee towards Jurong East:
[NSL UPDATE]: Due to a train fault, pls add 15mins train travel time from #Woodlands to #YewTee towards #JurongEast.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) January 22, 2019
And again at 7:52am, now asking for another 10 minutes additional travel time:
[NSL]: Due to an earlier train fault, pls add 10mins train travel time from #Woodlands to #YewTee towards #JurongEast. Free regular bus svcs btwn #Woodlands and #YewTee are still available.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) January 22, 2019
Nearly 9am, commuters again reminded SMRT that the delay affected both directions:
Train towards Marina Bay is also affected by the delay please. ?
— Allie (@aleeshakhoo) January 22, 2019
Do add travel time both directions. Southward is also affected.
— Ros (@rosyip) January 22, 2019
At 9:03am and 9:08am SMRT said that the fault was cleared:
[NSL] UPDATE: Fault cleared, train svcs are progressively being restored. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) January 22, 2019
[NSL] CLEARED: Train svc from #Woodlands to #YewTee has resumed. Free regular bus svcs have ended.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) January 22, 2019
But posts from commuters on Twitter showed that the trouble was not yet finished at nearly 10am:
The track fault is causing massive trouble to the commuters
— Lum H Y (@Lumhyhyhy) January 22, 2019
Wow, @SMRT_Singapore you're just winning today, aren't you? First with the half hour delay and now you ask to empty a full train and wait for the next one. And you say we're satisfied with your performance. Those people who said that probably don't even take the train. #smrt
— Mymuseandi (@mymuseandi) January 22, 2019
#smrt still can't get their shit together…. Train heading towards Marina Sour Pier was standstill at AMK station and all passengers were made to leave the train.
— Amresh Kumar (@AmreshTheKumar) January 22, 2019