In the 19th century, a trip from central Singapore to Johor involved a 22 km carriage ride, followed by a half-hour crossing of the Straits by sampan or small boat.14
In 1903, the opening of the Singapore-Kranji Railway reduced the train journey from central Singapore to Woodlands to about one hour.15 Travellers then boarded steam ferries or "ferry boats" which transported them across the Straits to Johor Bahru in just five minutes.16
Goods wagons were also transported up the railway and shipped across the Straits. With the opening of the Johor State Railway in 1909, "wagon-ferries" were introduced to streamline the movement of cargo between Singapore and Malaya. These were barges outfitted with railway tracks, each capable of transporting up to six train carriages by sea to connect with the railway lines at either end.17 A higher volume of goods could be conveyed between the two territories. By 1917, however, the wagon-ferries were barely coping with the high demand for cargo transportation across the Straits.18 A new, long-term solution had to be found.
Click here to explore another aspect of the Causeway's beginnings, or here to return to the main Causeway Centenary page.
Photographs
Media - Image No: 20060000334 - 0065
Source: National Archives of the Netherlands
Description: Despite being named the Singapore-Kranji Railway, it in fact terminated in Woodlands, which brought people closer to the Johor Straits. This image shows a train at Woodlands Station.
Covering Date: 1900s
Media - Image No: 19980007376 - 0057
Source: Arshak C Galstaun Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore
Description: A train on the railway line that opened in 1903, linking Tank Road (near Fort Canning Hill) and Kranji, Singapore.
Covering Date: 1906
Media - Image No: 19980006557 - 0026
Source: National Archives of Singapore
Description: View of the "ferry boat" jetty at Woodlands. Ferry boat departures were timed to coincide with the arrival of each train at Woodlands Station.
Covering Date: c. 1910
Media - Image No: 19980007376 - 0052
Source: Arshak C Galstaun Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore
Description: View of the jetty at Johor, where people travelling to and from the Malay Peninsula by rail were carried across the Johor Straits by ferry boat.
Covering Date: c. 1905
Media - Image No: 19980005124 - 0018
Source: Lee Kip Lin Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore
Description: View of a "wagon-ferry" at Johor jetty. To ease the congestion across the Straits of Johor, wagon-ferries were introduced in 1909. These were barges outfitted with railway tracks and could transport whole train-carriages.
Covering Date: 1930s
Media - Image No: 19980005095 - 0009
Source: National Archives of Singapore
Description: The wagon-ferry jetty in Woodlands. The view shows a traveller with several wagons on board and the wagon-ferry berthed. Each wagon-ferry could carry six goods wagons at a time.
Covering Date: 1900s