The station was opened in March 1897 by the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway on its main line from Chesterfield to Lincoln.

The stationmaster's house was built in the distinctive LD&ECR style, as can be seen in the accompanying photograph.

The station buildings were also built in the company's style,[2][4] which had clear echoes at Arkwright Town, Bolsover South and Warsop, to name but three.

Today the trackbed eastwards from the site of Fledborough Station, across Fledborough Viaduct, through Clifton-on-Trent to Doddington and Harby forms an off-road part of National Cycle Route 647 which is part of the National Cycle Network.

From Doddington and Harby onwards through the site of Skellingthorpe almost to Pyewipe Junction the trackbed forms an off-road part of National Cycle Route 64.