1 8 3 8 ) ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 3 ▁an ▁Act ▁of ▁Parliament ▁granted ▁the ▁L & GR ▁the ▁rights ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁ ▁vi ad uct ▁from ▁the ▁south ▁end ▁of ▁London ▁Bridge ▁to ▁Green wich ▁and ▁to ▁run ▁trains ▁along ▁it . ▁However , ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁partially ▁opened ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁well ▁before ▁its ▁full ▁length ▁had ▁been ▁completed ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁maxim ise ▁re venue ▁income ▁as ▁soon ▁as ▁possible . ▁Other ▁companies ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁building ▁their ▁own ▁railway ▁lines ▁and ▁the ▁L & GR ▁wished ▁to ▁gain ▁the ▁commercial ▁advantage ▁of ▁being ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁open ▁for ▁business . ▁Another ▁consideration ▁was ▁the ▁company ' s ▁stock ▁price , ▁which ▁stood ▁high ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 8 3 5 ▁but ▁was ▁at ▁risk ▁of ▁falling ▁if ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁not ▁soon ▁opened . ▁ ▁The ▁board ▁decided ▁to ▁open ▁a ▁ ▁stretch ▁from ▁Sp a ▁Road ▁to ▁, ▁which ▁served ▁the ▁district ▁of ▁De pt ford . ▁The ▁first ▁train ▁left ▁De pt ford ▁railway ▁station ▁for ▁Sp a ▁Road ▁at ▁ 8 ▁am ▁on ▁ 8 ▁February ▁ 1 8 3 6 . ▁Tra ins ▁ran ▁hour ly ▁on ▁the ▁half - hour ▁from ▁Sp a ▁Road , ▁from ▁ 8 . 3 0 ▁am ▁to ▁ 5 . 3 0 ▁pm , ▁with ▁a ▁fare ▁to ▁De pt ford ▁cost ing ▁ 6 d . ▁There ▁were ▁no ▁services ▁after ▁dark , ▁as ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁signals ▁on