, ▁numbers ▁had ▁dropped ▁to ▁ 4 4 . 6 ▁per ▁cent ▁compared ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁to ▁only ▁ 2 3 . 3 ▁percent ▁and ▁the ▁patron age ▁of ▁Broad ▁Street ▁station ▁decl ined ▁accordingly . ▁On ▁ 8 ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁the ▁station ▁was ▁dam aged ▁by ▁a ▁Ze ppel in ▁attack . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁the ▁competition , ▁the ▁gover ning ▁board ▁finally ▁decided ▁to ▁elect r ify ▁the ▁N LR , ▁on ▁the ▁two - con duct or - ra il ▁at ▁ 6 0 0 ▁V ▁DC ▁system , ▁and ▁elect r ified ▁services ▁started ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁using ▁O er lik on ▁stock , ▁though ▁the ▁Wat ford ▁service ▁was ▁not ▁elect r ified ▁until ▁ 1 0 ▁July ▁ 1 9 2 2 . ▁At ▁the ▁termin us , ▁only ▁the ▁western ▁five ▁lines ▁were ▁ever ▁elect r ified . ▁Elect r ification ▁appeared ▁to ▁stem ▁the ▁t ide ▁of ▁passenger ▁losses . ▁Electric ▁services ▁to ▁Richmond ▁and ▁K ew ▁began ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁followed ▁by ▁peak ▁services ▁to ▁Wat ford ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁The ▁latter ▁were ▁increased ▁to ▁all - day ▁services ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁July ▁ 1 9 2 2 . ▁By ▁this ▁time , ▁there ▁were ▁four ▁trains ▁per ▁hour ▁to ▁Richmond ▁and ▁two