 The GNR, whose Church Street station was more convenient for the town centre than the LNWR's Dunstable station, offered to rebuild the station so that it could also be used by the LNWR but the latter insisted on having equal rights of access which was unacceptable to the GNR.Following a fire in September 1871, a more permanent structure was provided at a cost of £1,500 ().The new station also had a single platform which was situated on the Down side immediately above the A505 Luton-Dunstable road.