The station was opened by the Maryport and Carlisle Railway on 12 April 1841, although the line heading north-east to Wigton was not completed until 1845.

The station signal box was the last surviving example built by the Maryport and Carlisle company, prior to its closure and demolition in 1998.

[3] Following the May 2021 timetable change, the station is served by an hourly service between Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, with some trains continuing to Lancaster.

[4] Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter In May 2018, Northern introduced a Sunday service between Whitehaven and Barrow-in-Furness, the first Sunday service to operate south of Whitehaven for over 40 years.

[5][6] On 5 February 2024 Northern was criticised for continuing to mispronounce the station name, six months after its announcements had been re-recorded.