[4] Initially opened as Norwood, the station was given its current name of Ashburton on 12 December 1890.

[4] Situated immediately north of the station, the double track becomes single for the rest of the section to Alamein.

The line was electrified on 30 October 1924 but, in the years leading up to that, it was served by the popularly-named Deepdene Dasher, which ran a shuttle between Ashburton and Deepdene, and usually consisted of an F-Class engine and one or two American-type carriages.

[4][8] The Train Staff and Ticket safeworking system to Alamein was also abolished in that year.

In July 1989, timetabled use of the siding ended, due to the vandalising of trains stabled there.