▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁as ▁the ▁termin us ▁of ▁a ▁network ▁of ▁comm uter ▁rail ways ▁linking ▁east ▁and ▁west ▁London ▁via ▁the ▁looping ▁route ▁of ▁the ▁N LR , ▁originally ▁with ▁seven ▁platforms ▁and ▁three ▁approach ▁tracks . ▁The ▁front age ▁was ▁ ▁long ▁and ▁ ▁wide , ▁constructed ▁from ▁white ▁Su ff olk ▁brick ▁and ▁Peter head ▁gran ite , ▁with ▁a ▁ ▁clock ▁tower ▁as ▁a ▁cent rep ie ce . ▁ ▁Initial ▁services ▁were ▁to ▁, ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁via ▁. ▁Services ▁to ▁Wat ford ▁began ▁on ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 1 8 6 6 . ▁Che ap ▁far es ▁for ▁the ▁working ▁class ▁were ▁available ▁from ▁the ▁out set . ▁A ▁goods ▁station ▁was ▁situated ▁next ▁to ▁the ▁passenger ▁station ▁opening ▁to ▁traffic ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁May ▁ 1 8 6 8 . ▁It ▁was ▁built ▁on ▁a ▁deck ▁and ▁a ▁hyd ra ul ic ▁lift ▁was ▁provided ▁to ▁move ▁w ag ons ▁down ▁to ▁w are h ouses ▁below . ▁Because ▁of ▁this , ▁the ▁station ▁only ▁used ▁ ▁of ▁land , ▁which ▁was ▁convenient ▁ow ing ▁to ▁the ▁high ▁price ▁of ▁land ▁in ▁the ▁City . ▁ ▁Exp ansion ▁and ▁development ▁Broad ▁Street ▁was ▁an ▁immediate ▁success ▁and ▁caused ▁N LR ▁traffic ▁to ▁double ▁in ▁a ▁short ▁space ▁of ▁time . ▁A ▁fourth ▁approach ▁line ▁was ▁added ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁a ▁further ▁( e ighth ) ▁platform ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 , ▁and ▁a ▁final ▁( n inth