Derelicte – The Many Ruins of Taiping

Time, like the jungle, has reclaimed the once-grand residence of Captain T.C.S. Speedy. Speedy, the Assistant Resident to J.W.W. Birch, the first British Resident in the Malay States, resided here. All that stands now are solitary pillars, silent sentinels repurposed to form a haunting colonnade leading to the ruins of Hotel Casuarina. These remnants stand as a poignant reminder of a bygone era.

Rising from the very ground where Captain Speedy’s Residence once stood, the Casuarina took root. Repurposed in the 1970s by the Perak State Government, it aspired to be a haven for weary travelers. However, whispers of the supernatural cling to its walls, earning it a local reputation as a “haunted house.”

Ironically, the tranquility some seek seems to have found a home here too. Early mornings see the hotel grounds transformed into a canvas of movement, a stage for tai-chi and aerobics enthusiasts.

Shrouded in overgrown foliage, this abandoned bungalow whispers tales of a bygone era. Built with a distinctive 1930s style, its brick and mortar lower floor contrasts with the weathered wooden upper story. Located in one of Taiping’s oldest areas, opposite Sekolah Kebangsaan Klain Pauh and near the prison, the bungalow stands on some of the city’s most valuable real estate. However, its current state suggests a different story. Enter at your own peril.

Time has ravaged this once proud townhouse, leaving only skeletal remains. Crumbling brickwork forms a ghostly silhouette of the front façade, a stark contrast to the vanished upper floor – stairs and floorboards alike consumed by neglect. Even the roof lies shattered, leaving a mere four ghosts of windows where ten once stood. This silent sentinel stands in one of Taiping’s oldest districts, a stone’s throw from the iconic Clock Tower. Built in the pre-war style common to Malaya, its brick and mortar base succumbed alongside its wooden upper story, a testament to the relentless power of time.

A skeletal shell marks the spot where a fire raged years ago. This building, at the corner of Jalan Kota and Jalan Iskandar, has stood untouched ever since – neither fully demolished nor resurrected. The gutted frame remains, a stark reminder of the blaze, while safety barriers keep curious explorers at bay.

Shrouded in mystery, this building’s past whispers of justice served – once a courthouse, now a crumbling relic. Little history remains, its secrets as forgotten as the purpose it served. Standing between the Taiping Rest House and the abandoned Railway Office, it forms an eerie trinity with its derelict companions. Barricaded for safety reasons, the courthouse offers only glimpses of its faded grandeur.

​Witness to history, this building stands sentinel across from where the first train in the Malay States puffed to life in 1885. Born as the nerve center of the Perak Government Railway, it orchestrated the rhythm of a young nation’s progress. Later christened the Federated Malay States Railways and its successors, the name Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad now echoes its legacy.

While the original Taiping Railway Station, once its neighbor, now rests beneath the playing field of Kind Edward VII Primary School, the first government school in the Malay States, this office soldiered on. It donned new hats – the Sanitary Board and various government departments called it home – until 1985, when progress left it behind.

Now, a silent sentinel, its once proud form stands wrapped in neglect, a reminder of a bygone era. Safety concerns and the shadow of potential misuse keep it cordoned off, a melancholic echo of a time when iron horses ruled the tracks.

History whispers from the walls of Taiping’s first rest house. Built in 1879, it offered a haven for weary British officials traversing the Malay States. Originally a charming wooden bungalow, it expanded in 1894 with the addition of the East and West wings, standing proudly (though currently in disrepair) to this day.

This solitary bungalow, once a proud guardian of Taiping’s railway crossing, now stands silent. Formerly a haven for Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) crossing guards, it fell silent with the rise of the steel flyover that bypassed the tracks. Before that modern marvel, the crossing guard, responsible for the controlled chaos of car and train, would have called this place home.

A forgotten gem rests along Jalan Assam Kumbang, one of Taiping’s earliest neighborhoods. This abandoned bungalow sits at a bustling crossroads, a short detour off Jalan Izzudin Shah (look for Dr. Cermin, the auto window repair shop!).

Its history whispers of a bygone era. Built during the area’s mining boom, it was likely home to a mine owner or supervisor. Grand Assam Kumbang was once dotted with such bungalows, many now repurposed by used car dealers. As the mines dwindled, the landscape transformed. Exhausted mine pits became fertile ground for new neighborhoods – Cator Avenue, Kampung Assam Kumbang (Taiping’s first Malay enclave), Taman Panglima, and Taman Saujana Jaya.

The bungalow itself mirrored these changes. Once a residence, it donned commercial garb and housed various enterprises – a used car lot, a recycling center, an auto service center, and more. Now, it stands silent, a testament to the area’s rich past.

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