8 ▁when ▁the ▁company ' s ▁direct ors ▁ordered ▁trains ▁to ▁stop ▁at ▁Sp a ▁Road ▁hour ly ▁throughout ▁the ▁day ▁and ▁reserved ▁half ▁a ▁carriage ▁for ▁passengers ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁station ▁on ▁Sund ays ▁and ▁hol id ays . ▁They ▁also ▁took ▁steps ▁to ▁improve ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁station . ▁Despite ▁this , ▁it ▁was ▁little ▁used ▁and ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 8 3 8 ▁the ▁L & GR ' s ▁direct ors ▁decided ▁to ▁close ▁the ▁station . ▁It ▁was ▁board ed ▁up ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 8 3 8 ▁and ▁remained ▁out ▁of ▁use ▁until ▁ 1 8 4 2 . ▁ ▁Second ▁station ▁( 1 8 4 2 – 1 8 6 7 ) ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 0 , ▁the ▁L & GR ▁applied ▁to ▁Parliament ▁for ▁powers ▁to ▁w iden ▁the ▁vi ad uct , ▁which ▁was ▁so ▁narrow ▁that ▁the ▁carri ages ▁only ▁had ▁a ▁clear ance ▁of ▁about ▁ ▁between ▁their ▁sides ▁and ▁the ▁par ap et ▁wall , ▁and ▁about ▁ ▁clear ance ▁in ▁the ▁centre . ▁There ▁was ▁no ▁room ▁for ▁buildings ▁of ▁any ▁description ▁anywhere ▁on ▁the ▁line . ▁The ▁company ▁came ▁under ▁pressure ▁to ▁re open ▁Sp a ▁Road ▁station , ▁as ▁competition ▁from ▁the ▁railway ▁had ▁caused ▁the ▁dem ise ▁of ▁a ▁horse - dra wn ▁coach ▁service ▁from ▁B erm ond sey ▁to ▁De pt ford . ▁It ▁agreed ▁to ▁construct ▁an ▁improved ▁station ▁when ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁w iden ed . ▁This ▁involved