“..Let’s … Go… RETRO!!!..”

hur hur.. the second bit with pictures…
this time it’s BUSES..yes..

Let’s track back a bit..

Obviously Pasr Ris Interchange..

Yes Obviously Pasir Ris Interchange.. i would say this one is early 90′s (surprise surprise the Interchange was operational in 1983) ,and by the look of it, pre EZLINK era(which started batch testing in 2000 and fully implemented in 2001) but with the One Man Ticketing machine (with the Stored Value MRT Farecards). Point to note is that this is probably only one generation behind the present batch of “old” buses (if you get what I mean).. no?
The latest of the “old” buses to be retired is the Volvo Mk II (retired this year) which has been in service from 1988 – 2008. I would say that the one above is prolly the bus the the MkII replaced.. which is a Volvo B57 (ver 2).. not very sure but looks like it..

MOVing on.. before the Volvo’s and the Scania’s and the Mercedes’ came along.. Most of you will remember..this noisy bus.. with the aluminium sidings and all..

Leyland Victory circa 1985

The above picture ,distinctively at Toa Payoh Interchange (before it became a “Hub”) probably would be in it’s last stages of service with SBS. Shown with the earlier version one man ticketing system (no fare card lah MRT only from 1987!!!).. It was at the time of it’s service the longest bus on the road. How do I know it’s 1985?? that’s because the familiar red and white paint scheme, were only on buses from 1985 onwards.. before then the buses were unpainted except for a red stripe to save costs..like below

The first Leyland Victory bus on the SBS fleet.. 1978

SBS introduced the double decker bus in 1977 .. yes.. really .. lol

yes ... service 130..

This bus however was in service from 1982 up to 1993(the double deckers came in batches and this particular one was the 3rd batch). I remember this bus.. I used to take service 152 (Bedok Interchange – Toa Payoh Interchange) to school every day. I would drop at Braddel road and walk in to Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School (Bishan). Why can I remember so clearly… cuz a bunch of us would usually sit on the top deck at the back .. and smoke in the bus.. yes.. smoke..lol..
The reaction I get from this picture both from Syida and Reets.. eh .. 130!!!! .. And I’m guessing Hart, also a northlander would prolly remember service 130.. lol ..

Looking back some more.. I only vaguely.. just vaguely remember this.. Before EZLink there was the Stored Value Card.. remember them? No ?.. hur hur surely you jest little grasshopper..

Now do you remember?

But BEFORE that… when the now extinct ticket conductor roamed the vast valley of all buses .. there was THIS!!!!..

Le CLASSSIIIIQQUUEEE~~

hahaaa… ok.. this is where i need some help.. can anyone refresh my memory how this system works out.. I not sure which is the fare .. and which is the service number.. lol

Now if you can recall all these… and you remember Feeder Bus services from Interchanges were $0.15..maybe $0.25 later on… you remember pple smoking on buses… you probably are if not older.. just as old as I am.. and you are also probably smiling to yourself.. as I am.. man .. those were the good old days..

on an unrelated side note.. i think can officially start the countdown to “that” day.. start.. T-minus.. 365 days.. is it too early to start panicking?..

“.. Ret … ro… LET’S GO!!..”

I received an E-mail this morning.. and this one really throws me to a time when things were much much simpler.. there picture attachments and I’m going to share them with you .. and my first thoughts when i saw them…. ok where shall I start..

oh before anything else.. i’d like to say..THIS IS MY GENERATION~

Before there was The Teenage Textbook.. there was the Primary School textbook.

And they had a workbook version of this too with the very thin brown paper pages (like a paper back). Remember those? these textbooks were circa 1980′s and mid 1990′s. A great image to accompany this text book would be of Mr Wally and Mr Yaki.. but.. yeh..i don’t have em .. but since we’re still in Primary school, it brings me to the next image..

Eraser Battle? Anyone?

The ultimate in classroom debauchery when teacher wasn’t around.. You’d turn around to the kid behind you and ask, ” Wanna play rubber..?”.. There’d be matches .. TOURNAMENTS even.. lol.. This was prevalent from Primary 1 all the way to Primary 6. But the better off kids in Primary School also had something else… Towards the end of my “tenure” in Primary school these stuff started making their rounds..

Game ON!

*hums tune* duhduhduh dum.. duh dum.. duh dum.....

Western Bar, Kungfu, Space Attacker,…many others.. not to mention the Nintendo “Game N Watch” series.. since you couldn’t get away with playing these in class, Recess times and the ride home on the school bus will be filled with the digitized sounds of these lcd display games.. heh..yeah lcd .. no colours.. no textures..
and then there was..

You can't get these no more

I loved these.. They were $0.10 a piece..yeaps.. it’s gum.. not just ANY kinda gum.. these guys had water transfer tattoos on the paper sleeves.. HOW COOL IS THAT? .. Flavour? choosing a flavour? who CARES about flavours..they all had a generic uhm berry .. taste… strawberry?raspberry?Blueberry? whatever berries it was all rolled into a slab of gummy goodness..I’d take these over “Bubble Yum” or Wrigley’s any day..

Got a few more flashback pics which I’ll save for later.. Got enough content there for it’s own post.. lol… one more thing.. Most who have seen Reets’ temporary new look , agree she looks younger.. Notable notes.. Rae thought the picture was taken when she was 16. Al and Syida thought she was 18 in the photo.. So Bee.. yeah .. IT WORKS.. I Like .. I Like very muchly.. lol