The station was opened in 1910, built by the Great Central Railway (GCR), who operated the passenger service over the SYJR between Doncaster and Shireoaks jointly with the Great Northern Railway (GNR).

In April 1926 the passenger service was suspended and Maltby station was closed as a result of the general strike but reopened in July 1927[1] only to close for good when the passenger service was permanently withdrawn in December 1929.

[2] The main station buildings, on the Doncaster bound platform, were of the Great Central's "Double Pavilion" style containing all the usual facilities, whilst the other platform had a simple brick built waiting shelter.

The last train to call (terminate) at Maltby was a 16-coach "Inter Grammar Schools Sports Day Special" in 1963 which ran from Mexborough hauled by a double-headed B1 from the home depot, one of its last special passenger workings before the work was transferred to Wath.

It was almost a mile and a half walk from the station to the local grammar school sports field.