[1] Originally named Hollowstones, after the adjacent farm, it opened to passengers in 1876, when the line was still in its 3' gauge form.

As well as becoming the main crossing point on the line, the station also hosted the railway’s carriage and wagon workshop, with a number of coaches being built/repaired at Irton Road before the construction of newer facilities at Ravenglass in the 1920s.

Consequently, the loop was extended to double the required length, to enable 4 trains to be accommodated at once, a feature the station retains to this day.

There are sidings here, which end in a two road shed, usually home to Quarryman, a paraffin-fuelled 4w engine formerly used on trains between Beckfoot Quarry and Murthwaite Stone Crushing Plant; Santa's Sleigh, used in the winter time during the Santa Specials and 627, an old coach dating from 1928, which is part of the heritage collection.

[citation needed] The station looks out on either side to grazing farmland, where sheep and cattle are a familiar sight.

The road north of the railway line leads to Eskdale Green village in an easterly direction, where a convenience store, public toilets and a travelling post office on selected days can be found.