Willesden Junction Station (WIJ)

Station History

The London & North Western Railway built the first Willesden Junction station on 1st September 1866, replacing the London & Birmingham Railway station located half a mile to the Northwest on the West Coast Main Line.

Just three years later, the North London Railway constructed and opened their new lines through the area, passing over the WCML and a station was provided with two sets of separate platforms for Richmond and Shepherds Bush services.

This iteration of the high-level station lasted until 1894 when it was rebuilt to combine the existing services running through it. The new station consisted of two platforms for Richmond/Shepherds Bush services and an additional, shorter platform for trains to Earls Court. A new station building was constructed at this time and still survives today.

Following the decision of the London & North Western Railway to build a new line from London Euston to Watford, construction began in 1910 and two new outer platforms, along with two bay platforms were provided alongside the existing facilities on the West Coast Main Line. The new ‘low-level’ station opened along with the rest of the line on 15th June 1912.

Services through the low-level station increased with the arrival of London Underground Bakerloo Line services to Watford on 1st August 1917.

The Railways Act 1921 saw the grouping of railway companies and the London & North Western was amalgamated with several other companies to become the London Midland and Scottish Railway on 1st January 1923. This was followed by Nationalisation in 1948 when the LMS became part of British Railways Midland Region.

After World War II, Willesden Junction was left in a very dilapidated state. As a result of this, along with the withdrawal of Earls Court services, the high-level station was rebuilt in an island configuration, opening in 1956.

Electrification of the West Coast Main Line and the need to realign its tracks saw the main line platforms at Willesden closed on 3rd December 1962 and subsequently demolished.

Due to falling patronage, London Underground withdrew the Bakerloo Line service between here and Watford Junction on 24th September 1982. However, this decision was reversed and services resumed as far as Harrow and Wealdstone on 4th June 1984.

Management changes saw the station pass to the London & Southeastern business unit upon sectorisation in 1982, relaunched as Network Southeast on 10 June 1986.

Privatisation of the railways saw the station and line become part of National Express under their Silverlink Trains subsidiary in 1993.

The final change of management for the line and its stations came in November 2007 when Transport for London undertook operation of the services under their London Overground brand, while station management was assumed by London Underground.