Going Going Gone

PROJECT 4 ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING

SAMANTHA SOH 23167 | BADC2F

Gone

SINGAPORE’S FIRST SATELLITE ESTATE , DEFUNCT MALAYAN RAILWAY TRACKS , THE KAMPUNG SPIRIT, THE FAMILIAR FACES, 31 HOUSING BLOCKS, 3480 FLATS, 200 MARKET AND HAWKER STALLS, SHOPS AND EATING HOUSES.

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One of singapore’s oldest HDB districts, it was completed between 1962 and 1963, as part of the five inital districts within Queenstown, Singapore’s first satellite estate.

the residents that will become memories they bring with them after its 31 blocks of flats, seven commercial blocks and two markets and food centres are demolished from the end of 2021.

Tanglin Halt acquired its name from a time in the past when it was a train stop on the KTM line. The trains have long since stopped running and the Tanglin Halt train tracks are now converted to a green walking trail.

This series of photos capture the scenes of Tanglin Halt on a rainy night, scenes that seem mundane, but would never be present again.

The area’s kampung spirit evidently still lived till present times, with residents looking out for one another. Unlocked front gates, gathering of friends, there is a whole collage of the everyday life of

The lights of Tanglin Halt continues to shine ever so brightly in the foggy night.

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

This alley turning into a row of shops was situated next to Tanglin Halt Market and Food Centre. The stores close their shutters as they prepare to close off for the day.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F18 | 10S

05

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

A light shines on the group of plants at this back alley, it was nice to see many of the residents having a green thumb. Communal gardens are also present, futher emphasising the kampung spirit that the place posseses.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F10 | 10S

07

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

Some of these units were seemingly vacant, from how unoccupied it looked from both the front and back of the units.

However, despite the approaching move-out date sometime in October, quite a handful of residents still stay on in their homes, waiting till the very last moment before they move out.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F5.6 | 5S

09

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

Venturing further into the residential blocks, I was attracted to a single brightly lit unit along the dark back alley.

The resident was still very much happily spending his time in his home as he did since 30 years ago. The news of demolition did not affect him negatively, but rather he accepted it as a part of Singapore progressing with the times.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F10 | 5S

11

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

Turning to the next block I see a man eating while watching TV. At this moment I noticed a reoccuring scene of residents leaving their front doors open. No locks needed. This was evident of how the kampung spirit is still very much alive almost 80 years later.

The people trust and look out for one another, and even if the resident lives on the ground floor, there would still be full trust in the safety of the place.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F10 | 5S

13

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

As the building was constructed so many years ago, it would be lacking in the technological ammenities. No lifts were installed and the residents use the stairs to get up and down the block. (Each block was four stories high.)

55-200MM ISO 200 | F10 | 5S

15

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

A middle aged Indian lady makes her way back home after work.

She was part of the group of residents that would like to keep staying here until the very last moment before moving out. “It’s hard to let all this go you know, It’s been so long after all.”

55-200MM ISO 200 | F18 | 5S

17

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

The lights from the lit up stairwell of the four storey blocks reflects on the wet ground after the rain.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F18 | 5S

19

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

Venturing further in toward where the old KTM train tracks were, I passed this substation. It was next to an open court, possibly for the use for sports like badminton.

The blocks surrounding this court were not lit up thus I assumed the black-out blocks were one of the few that were already vacated in 2003, the first half of the Selective En-Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) project for this estate.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F18 | 5S

21

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

I stood at the dimly-lit path toward where the old KTM railway tracks were, and I felt peaceful. The tracks have been removed and the space converted into a park connector, the Green Corridor.

I first felt uneasy due to the darkness and stillness, but I then realised that this was still used by joggers and as a shortcut for the residents living here.

A couple walked past me towards the path leading toward the Green Corridor.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F15 | 5S

23

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

First and second storey residents still living in the block although their neighbours all moved out.

It was interesting to see the stark contrast of the bright living spaces with the dark and neglected units.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F10 | 5S

25

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

Looking up, a chinese lady was having a night snack while looking out of her window. She lives on the fourth storey and it seems her block was still very occupied and most of the windows were all lit.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F10 | 5S

27

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

Heading back to the shops lining the first storey of the high-rised residential blocks, I passed a clinic that was still operating at that hour. The clinic stood out brightly as most of the other shops were closed.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F18 | 5S

29

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

The backside of a Tangling Halt Food Centre. Most of the hawker stores were closed but this hawker unit stood out as it was still cleaning up front and the back light was still on.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F18 | 5S

31

PROJECT 4

ALL WE NEED IS TIME & LIGHT

TANGLIN HALT

GOING GOING GONE

NIKON D5000

Towards the end of my night, I was walking along the back alley of the residential blocks when I noticed this scene. A man walked toward my direction and was possibly a resident coming home from work. He was in a hurry and disappeared after turning around a corner.

The light from the notification board in the background helped to outline his ghostly silhouette.

The lights were also reflected on the wet concrete floor. The scene was mysterious yet definately alluring.

55-200MM ISO 200 | F10 | 5S

33

TANGLIN HALT GOING GOING GONE GONE GONE GONE GONE GONE GONE

THE SERIES OF IMAGES IN GOING GOING GONE CAPTURE THE SCENES OF TANGLIN HALT ON A RAINY NIGHT, SCENES THAT SEEM MUNDANE, BUT WOULD NEVER BE PRESENT AGAIN. THE LIGHTS OF TANGLIN HALT CONTINUES TO SHINE EVER SO BRIGHTLY IN THE FOGGY NIGHT. APRIL 2021