Old MRT Train Seats Upcycled Into Community Chairs in Yishun Void Decks

Mr Louis Ng showcased the repurposed MRT train seats with representatives from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Nee Soon Town Council. (Photo: SGTrains)

If you happen to be in the vicinity of “Next station, Yishun,” you may come across these familiar-looking community chairs.

These chairs are actually repurposed and upcycled from a decommissioned MRT train which served commuters on the North-South and East-West MRT lines (NSEWL) since it began passenger service on Nov 7, 1987.

New Lease of Life for MRT Train Seats Around Yishun

One of the 10 sets of community chairs upcycled from MRT train seats around Yishun. (Photo: SGTrains)

A collaborative effort between LTA and Nee Soon Town Council

This is one of the first projects in the community to utilise parts from a retired MRT train, in a collaborative effort between the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Nee Soon Town Council.

Instead of being sent to the scrapyard, these 10 sets of two-seater MRT train seats and MRT system maps give the void decks a unique and nostalgic atmosphere for Nee Soon residents.

Mr Louis Ng, Member of Parliament (MP) for Nee Soon GRC, attended the unveiling event at Nee Soon Town Council in Yishun on Saturday (Mar 26).

“Finding new ways of using old items is a great way to save the environment. These new upcycled seats are a practical and eye-catching addition to our neighbourhoods,” said Mr Ng.

Repurposing decommissioned MRT trains and their parts

Speaking to The Straits Times, Mr Elmar Koentarjo, deputy director for asset engineering at LTA, said MRT train parts such as brake pads and wheels will be transformed into MRT station artwork for the upcoming Jurong Region Line (JRL).

In addition, the LTA is in discussion with several public and private organisations to retain MRT trains and their parts for educational and training purposes.

Interested parties can write to LTA_Train_Repurpose@lta.gov.sg for more information.

Check Out Other Related Posts

Decommissioned Siemens C651 Trains Repurposed for Training with Singapore Police Force

Related Links
History of the MRT System – SGTrains
Kawasaki Heavy Industries C151 – SGTrains
Siemens C651 – SGTrains
Kawasaki-Nippon Sharyo C751B – SGTrains
North-South Line – SGTrains
East-West Line – SGTrains

External Links
Old MRT train seats get new lease of life at Yishun void decks – The Straits Times [Accessed 26 Mar 2022]
Factsheet: LTA to Decommission First-Generation NSEWL Trains from June 2020 – LTA [Accessed 26 Mar 2022]
“Nee Soon Town Council is launching a sustainable & fun initiative tomorrow (26 Mar)! 🎉” – Nee Soon Town Council/Facebook [Accessed 26 Mar 2022]

Images by SGTrains.
Writing by Lam; Edited by Loh.
This article first appeared on SGTrains.