The railway line here is the border between the Harlesden and Stonebridge residential area in the east, and the Park Royal industrial estate to the west.

The southern end of Willesden Brent Sidings separates the station from the West Coast Main Line.

The first station at the site was Willesden which was opened in 1841 by the London and Birmingham Railway and closed in 1866, replaced by Willesden Junction station, 0.5 miles (0.80 km) to the south east.

In the Watford DC line program of new electrified suburban tracks of the London and North Western Railway, a new station, "Harlesden", opened on 15 June 1912.

Bakerloo line services on the same tracks began on 16 April 1917, via a new junction at Queens Park station.