The first station in Watford was north of St Albans Road. Watford Junction station opened when the line to St Albans opened, joining the main line south of St Albans Road, on 5 May 1858. The station was rebuilt in 1909, and was extensively redeveloped in the 1980s. The Abbey Line originally terminated at a through platform adjacent to the Down Slow Main Line but was relocated further East to provide more car parking; this was before the branch line was electrified.