Editing Neasden (section)

===Urbanisation===
The urbanisation of Neasden began with the arrival of the railway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brent.gov.uk/planning.nsf/0/ac3a63699612b4c980256bb40055d4e4!OpenDocument|title=Planning and building control - Brent Council|website=Brent.gov.uk|access-date=15 December 2007|archive-date=5 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905022741/http://www.brent.gov.uk/planning.nsf/0/ac3a63699612b4c980256bb40055d4e4!OpenDocument|url-status=dead}}</ref> The first railway running through Neasden (Hendon–Acton and Bedford–St. Pancras) was opened for goods traffic in October 1868, with passenger services following soon. In 1875, Dudding Hill, the first station in the area, was opened, and the [[Metropolitan Railway]] was extended through Neasden shortly afterwards.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.infotransport.co.uk/trains/station/199 |title=Neasden Station |access-date=10 January 2008 |archive-date=3 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080403002507/http://www.infotransport.co.uk/trains/station/199 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Neasden tube station|Neasden station]] was opened on Neasden Lane in 1880. New housing, initially for railway workers, was built in the village (particularly around Village Way) with all the streets named after Metropolitan Railway stations in Buckinghamshire. These survive today, and are called Quainton Street and Verney Street, followed by Aylesbury Street in the 1900s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://diamondgeezer.blogspot.com/2017/05/willesden.html|title=Diamond Geezer|website=Diamondgeezer.blogspot.com|access-date=9 July 2022}}</ref>

In 1883, an Anglican mission chapel, St Saviour's, was set up in the village. Its priest, the Reverend James Mills, became an important and popular figure in late 19th century Neasden. In 1885 Mills took over St Andrew's, Kingsbury and became vicar of a new parish, Neasden-cum-Kingsbury, created because of the area's rising population.

Before Mills' arrival, the only sporting facilities in Neasden had been two packs of foxhounds, both of which had disbanded by 1857. Mills became founder president of Neasden Cricket Club and encouraged musical societies. In 1893 a golf club was founded at Neasden House; however only 10% of its members came from Neasden.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

In the 1890s change led to a conscious effort to create a village atmosphere. At this time, the Spotted Dog became a social centre for local people. By 1891 Neasden had a population of 930, half of whom lived in the village. Despite the presence of the village in the west,{{clarify|date=November 2020}} it was the London end that grew fastest.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

[[File:Neasden LT Depot A Stock (5).jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|[[Neasden Depot]], the largest London Underground train depot]]
In 1893 the [[Great Central Railway]] obtained permission to join up its main line from [[Nottingham]] with the Metropolitan. Trains ran on or alongside the Metropolitan track to a terminus at [[Marylebone]] (this is now the modern day [[Chiltern Main Line]]). The Great Central set up a depot south of the line at Neasden and built houses for its workers (Gresham and Woodheyes Roads). The Great Central village was a "singularly isolated and self-contained community" with its own school and single shop, Branch No. 1 of the North West London [[Co-operative Society]]. It is now part of a conservation area. There was considerable sporting rivalry between the two railway estates, and a football match was played every [[Good Friday]]. By the 1930s the two railways employed over 1000 men.

[[Neasden Hospital]] was built in 1894 and closed in 1986.