Originally just a small halt serving the Metropolitan line, Rayners Lane station was rebuilt and opened in 1936. With the planned extension of Piccadilly line services to Uxbridge came the need for a larger station which also had to serve the population of the new 'Harrow Garden Village' housing development close by. Designed with consultant architect Reginald Uren, Holden originally planned the station to be the centre of a shopping parade but the lack of funds prevented this from happening.