When the Great Western Railway's main line was extended from Reading through the Vale of White Horse in 1840, Faringdon Road station was opened.

The down side platform was demolished and rebuilt to allow four tracks to run through the station, two fast straddled by two slow, designated Main and Relief.

[4] In the goods yard, a grounded coach body served as a Methodist Church from the 1930s.

[8][9] On 7 December 1964 British Railways withdrew passenger services from Challow and all other intermediate stations between Didcot and Swindon.

The northern platform has almost disappeared completely and the southern platform is used by Network Rail, although no buildings remain and the buildings used by Network Rail are only small portable cabins, including a relay room.