▁surprising ly ▁given ▁the ▁station ' s ▁physical ▁limitations , ▁only ▁a ▁month ▁after ▁it ▁was ▁opened ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁fatal ▁accident ▁when ▁passenger ▁Daniel ▁Hol mes ▁was ▁run ▁over ▁by ▁a ▁train . ▁The ▁other ▁passengers ▁had ▁been ▁waiting ▁with ▁others ▁on ▁the ▁track ▁when ▁the ▁De pt ford ▁train ▁arrived . ▁They ▁clim bed ▁up ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁platform ▁but ▁Hol mes ▁remained ▁on ▁the ▁track . ▁The ▁engine ▁driver , ▁Thomas ▁Mill ender , ▁was ▁dist ract ed ▁by ▁Hol mes ▁and ▁coll ided ▁with ▁the ▁waiting ▁south bound ▁train . ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁passengers ▁who ▁had ▁already ▁board ed ▁the ▁south bound ▁train ▁were ▁injured ▁and ▁Hol mes ▁was ▁killed ▁instantly ▁when ▁Mill ender ' s ▁run away ▁engine ▁struck ▁him . ▁The ▁duty ▁polic eman ▁only ▁just ▁escaped ▁also ▁being ▁struck ▁and ▁was ▁dismiss ed ▁for ▁failing ▁to ▁warn ▁the ▁passengers ▁in ▁time . ▁The ▁accident ▁was ▁witness ed ▁by ▁George ▁Walker , ▁the ▁L & GR ' s ▁Res ident ▁Director , ▁who ▁subsequently ▁wrote ▁of ▁the ▁difficulties ▁that ▁his ▁staff ▁experienced ▁in ▁keeping ▁people ▁off ▁the ▁tracks . ▁ ▁The ▁L & GR ▁opened ▁the ▁line ▁between ▁London ▁Bridge ▁and ▁Sp a ▁Road ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁December ▁ 1 8 3 6 . ▁Us age ▁of ▁Sp a ▁Road ▁station ▁dropped ▁significantly ▁after ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁London ▁Bridge ▁railway ▁station , ▁and ▁drivers ▁began ▁to ▁go ▁straight ▁through ▁without ▁stopping ▁if ▁they ▁had ▁no ▁passenger ▁requests . ▁This ▁changed ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 8 3