It was built by the Leeds Northern Railway as part of their main line from Leeds to Stockton (via Harrogate and Ripon) which opened on 2 June 1852,[1] although the connection to the ECML at the Northallerton end was not opened for a further four years.

The station at Yarm was subsequently reopened by Regional Railways North East in February 1996.

Services are roughly hourly and call at all stations as part of the North TransPennine route.

A further five trains a day in each direction (as of December 2021) by Grand Central serve Northallerton and Eaglescliffe as part of the route between Sunderland and London King's Cross.

[3] The lines also sees use by a variety of heavy freight services to/from Teesside, including petroleum from Port Clarence, steel trains to and from Hartlepool, Scunthorpe and Aldwarke,[4] the Freightliner terminal at Teesport and waste traffic to Wilton EFW.