It was opened as a joint station by the North Staffordshire Railway (NSR) and the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) on 13 July 1849,[1] with the opening of the NSR route to Uttoxeter via North Rode and Leek and it replaced an earlier, temporary, LNWR station at Beech Bridge.

The refurbished Central station, now renamed simply Macclesfield, opened on 7 November 1960; the same day that Hibel Road closed.

Express trains between Euston and Manchester tended only to use Hibel Road.

To the south of the station was the NSR goods yard, which dealt mostly with coal for Macclesfield gas works.

North of the station was the LNWR goods yard and the NSR motive power depot (MPD).