Regarding my previous post about Hill 100, Peter has emailed me to dispute my theory that it was located at present Baxter plant. He thinks it should be a bit further south at where the Turf Club is located.
I think he is wrong, and to prove it, I have to add another aerial photo. I don’t think there is any sensitivity (security-wise) seeing these SAF training locations have long disappeared from the face of the earth.
1. Access to Hill 100
Second Shot is right. The access to Hill 100 is probably via Lorong Woodlands Kechil. (I say “probably” because I simply cannot recall with certainty stuff from more than 30 years ago). Remember I mentioned passing the old age home. We had to go around the hill and access it from around 12 o'clock direction where the slope was not so steep for the 3-tonners. And that was where I saw the charcoal-producing farm house.
I think he is wrong, and to prove it, I have to add another aerial photo. I don’t think there is any sensitivity (security-wise) seeing these SAF training locations have long disappeared from the face of the earth.
1. Access to Hill 100
Second Shot is right. The access to Hill 100 is probably via Lorong Woodlands Kechil. (I say “probably” because I simply cannot recall with certainty stuff from more than 30 years ago). Remember I mentioned passing the old age home. We had to go around the hill and access it from around 12 o'clock direction where the slope was not so steep for the 3-tonners. And that was where I saw the charcoal-producing farm house.
2. Woodland-Marsiling Road Junction
Second Shot is right again. As you can see from photo no.2, the Woodlands- Marsiling Road junction is just to the left of this photo. That was what I wrote behind the photo.
As you can see from these two photos,
1) Hill 100 is very near to the Woodlands-Marsiling junction, which means it is also quite near the Metal Box factory.
2) Woodlands Road is very near to Hill 100 and runs northwards. If you look at the old 1983 map, Woodlands Road first runs in N-E direction and makes a sharp bend northwards. It is at this bend that I saw the cows grazing back in the 50’s/60’s in front of us as we traveled towards the causeway.
It is also at this sharp bend that they later added Woodlands Ave 3. A traffic light junction was created here so that from Woodlands Road you actually proceed straight ahead to get to Woodlands New Town and BKE via Ave 3. And you have to turn left if you want to get to the Metal Box and the causeway.
Furthermore, if you have been traveling in this area before the construction of Turf Club, you will know that the land north of Ave 3 is quite high compared to the land south of it.
Hence, I still stick to my theory that Hill 100 was at the Baxter location. But to be more sure, we need to identify where exactly was the Woodlands-Marsiling junction is today’s map. I think it is Woodlands Industrial Park D.
Second Shot is right again. As you can see from photo no.2, the Woodlands- Marsiling Road junction is just to the left of this photo. That was what I wrote behind the photo.
As you can see from these two photos,1) Hill 100 is very near to the Woodlands-Marsiling junction, which means it is also quite near the Metal Box factory.
2) Woodlands Road is very near to Hill 100 and runs northwards. If you look at the old 1983 map, Woodlands Road first runs in N-E direction and makes a sharp bend northwards. It is at this bend that I saw the cows grazing back in the 50’s/60’s in front of us as we traveled towards the causeway.
It is also at this sharp bend that they later added Woodlands Ave 3. A traffic light junction was created here so that from Woodlands Road you actually proceed straight ahead to get to Woodlands New Town and BKE via Ave 3. And you have to turn left if you want to get to the Metal Box and the causeway.
Furthermore, if you have been traveling in this area before the construction of Turf Club, you will know that the land north of Ave 3 is quite high compared to the land south of it.
Hence, I still stick to my theory that Hill 100 was at the Baxter location. But to be more sure, we need to identify where exactly was the Woodlands-Marsiling junction is today’s map. I think it is Woodlands Industrial Park D.
22 comments:
Sorry to disappoint you Chun See.
Hill 100 was reduced to ground zero when Woodlands New Town was built.
Woodlands Avenue 3 cuts through Hill 100, leaving one side to be Kranji MRT Station now stands. I didn't say it was at the Kranji Turf Club. The turf club itself is right of Kranji War Memorial and north-east of the Jalan Bumbong Estate area.
The former Marsiling Road which came off Woodlands Road runs over what is between Baxter and Woodlands Wafer Plant Park, cuts across the Woodlands Town Garden to the Autopass/Cashcard Booth before turning left into Woodlands Point.
The junction you indicated in Photo 2 is somewhere between the Kranji Water Reclamation Plant and the canal.
You see the entire stretch of Woodlands Road was re-aligned. So what is really "representative" of the old Woodlands Road was to be up to the area where the MRT track cuts over Woodlands Road (opposite the entrance to the Kranji War Memorial.
Lol, for a "free meal" I take a bet.
Lorong Woodlands Kechil leads to the Woodlands Aged Home and not to Marsiling Road. marsiling Road is further north.
Your 1983 Street Directory does not show Marsiling Road?
Gentlemen. Nothing beats an on-the-ground terrain, relief, vegetaion appreciation to verify Chun See's statement. I just checked google earth. I think Hill 265, being the highest point there, still exists. An actual recce will be fun and nostalgic provided that area is accessible to the public. Next step is to decide D-day H-hour and FUP.
Peter. My 1983 street directory doesn't show Marsiling Rd, by your 1963 street directory does. It meets Woodlands Road just a short distance south of Metal Box.
Keith. I am certainly game for an 'assault' on Hill 100. In fact I have been pestering Peter to do so. But to follow our good old SAF doctrine, we should do a few 'mapping planning exercises' (remember TEWT) first before we go to the ground. So please wait for me to blog about Hill 180 first.
Suggest you email me and then we coordinate by email rather than on the blog.
Keith, how will you recognize Hill 265 from today's landscape? It may be levelled to build SLE. The nearest extant landmark is Mandai Road which I suppose is far away.
Peter, I'm worried you may lose the bet.
Whether Woodlands Road was realigned or not, I will check against our dear old railway line. But now, I'm more inclined towards Chun See's position.
Icemoon: No problem. I know Chun See knows a good place to makan. I "yiao kui" lah!
Chun See: Street Directory not drawn to scale nor with "proper alignment".
gentlemen, for a moment, i thought you all were talking about a mountain; it's just a hill. i was never in the army, so i did not climb many hills.
along lorong woodlands kechil,according to my 1980 map, there were two homes - woodlands home for the aged and dragon lotus home.
according to my 1969 street directory, marsiling road joined woodlands road before the metal box co. of malaysia ltd.
i don't know if this info helps in any way.
Chun See: What's your email address? I'm blurr lah, don't know how to find.
2ndshot: Good question. I'm not sure either. Hopefully by being physically around the remaining untouched area, memory appreciation can take place.
My email address is: cslam@hoshin.com.sg
Tom said,
chun see I believe Peter is betting you for a free meal, I got a feeling Peter is going win, haha, Ithink he knows were hat hill was and the exact spot
I won't be too sure about that. Peter has been wrong before.
Well, everybody makes mistakes. Peter's advantage is his elephant memory but I'm not sure how the two oldies are going to convince one another of their hypothesis.
I think we have to call in the URA, HDB, MND, Land Authority and perhaps SLA to verify. After all they were the government agencies that "changed" the landscape.
BTW has anybody seen or heard about a Pepsicolo factory in Woodlands area in the 1970s or early 1980s. Something in my heads tells me I thought I saw something like place before. OR could I be confused over the timezones?
I mean Pepsicola factory
The pepsicola factory was at mandai estate.
Paul, give me some directions to the factory.
Peter, the pepsicola factory was at the top of mandai estate where Kah Motor Service Center today. Before it was closed,we can see the factory with the pepsi logo when travelling down woodland road after mandai road juction.
I don't think the building is still there.
Not to confuse everyone here, I do remember my bmt field camp in early '95. We did it on a sparsely forested hill in woodlands area.
I recall the hill was about as high as a HDB 12 stry block or slightly higher (as we didnt pitch tent at the summit), and below the foot of the hill was a recently built (back in '95) platform mrt station... not sure if it's Kranji or Marsiling station.
And i do remember clearly one ration 3 tonner fell on it's side after struggling through muddy paths trying to deliver our ration dinner on one of the rainy days.
Today i stay nearby Marsiling area, there's a few hills around.
- the newer Marsiling & two sch sites behind the Marsiling station were built on a hill, judging from the inclination leading towards the Marsiling Apartments (former Malaya Navy lodgings)
- side of Marsiling stn, leading to Kranji, there's another low hill beside "TECH" factory, another low hill infront of the factory (BKE exit to Woodlands New Town or Woodlands Ave 3)
- low hill behind American School (which might be originally connected to the one mentioned above, with the BKE cutting inbetween.
- hill beside Marsiling Apartments which currently has a small park at the top. Probably highest hill in Marsiling, at the moment.
- low hill behind the Mosque in Marsiling
But to be more sure, we need to identify where exactly was the Woodlands-Marsiling junction is today’s map.
Shameless plug from me - Hill 100 from 500 Feet: Where (exactly) is Woodlands-Marsiling Road Junction?
Shameless plug from me (again):
Hill 100 from 500 Feet: Air and Land Survey of Hill 100 Today
The two hills photos is now occupied by Baxter.
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