Old Jurong Railway track

Happy New Year 2011 and what better to start the New Year by going for a nature walk!

We decided to cover part of the Old Jurong railway track that covers the area along Sungai Ulu Pandan. The history of this track began when KTM (Keretapi Tanah Melayu)  for economic reasons in 1965 developed this track (that branched off from Bukit Timah railway station towards Jurong via Teban Gardens)  has a means for commodities transportation to industrial Jurong.

Getting there
This is a short and focus route that covers some of the flora and fauna along the disused track that has a mostly clear/exposed trail. We covered only the area from Faber Heights to Sunset Way.  There are some tracks that no longer exist (especially towards the Jurong area) which i did not cover and the wooded area from Sunset Way/Clementi woods to the Bukit Timah railway station track (which i hope to cover one day).

View Rediscovering Old Jurong Line in a larger map

What we saw and highlights from the old railway track walk 
The track itself is easy to follow with some portions missing but with some guess work, you should be able to follow thru. Some of the track area closer to Clementi side are used by the residents there as mini-farm of sorts growing edible plants such as tapioca, sweet potato leaves, banana, etc, while others, the secondary forest is slowly consuming what remains of a railway track.

View of the Park Connector from the old Railway Bridge

Rusty Railway bridge over Sungai Ulu Pandan

White throated Kingfisher

Black Baza

Track reappears again

Bridge over Sunset Way

The plan in the future for me is to cover the portion from Sunset Way via Clementi woodlands to Bukit Timah railway station and maybe portions of the track leading towards Jurong. I was told the Jurong industrial tracks are mostly gone already. 

Memories from a past

Birds spotted

1. Black Baza
2. Coppersmith Barbet
3. Lineated Barbet
4. Intermediate Egrets
5. Koel (male)
6. Red breasted Parakeet
7. Yellow vented Bulbuls
8. White breasted waterhen
9. Lesser racquet-tailed Drongo
10. Common Kingfisher
11. White throated Kingfisher
12. Dollarbird

Till the next time, have a great year ahead.


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