The station was opened by the South Eastern Railway on 1 September 1866. The original station building had two Wren-style towers, square and high, which faced on to the River Thames. The towers supported a long iron train shed crowned by a high single arch, almost semicircular, of glass and iron. To this was joined in 1867 an Italianate style hotel and forecourt. These gave passenger facilities, as well as an impressive frontage onto the street.