The station opened on 1 February 1851 by the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway.

It was situated on both sides of the level crossing on an unnamed road southwest of the hamlet of Newham.

Two sidings were to the south of the level crossing facing the down platform; one was elevated above the coal loading bank.

Newham was one of the seven stations to be closed due to the Second World War and it reopened on 7 October 1946 but the Sunday services were stopped.

This failed to attract passengers and it inevitably closed on 25 September 1950[1] and goods traffic stopped on the same day.