Northenden station was built by the Stockport, Timperley and Altrincham Junction Railway (ST&AJ) and opened for passenger and goods traffic on 1 February 1866.

[1] The main brick-built station building was constructed to a typical Cheshire Lines Committee design, with steeply sloping roofs and decorative wooden barge boarding.

[3] The main building was located on the north side of the line and therefore was nearest to Northenden village; it served passenger trains travelling eastwards from Liverpool and Warrington towards Stockport.

On the south side of the line was a smaller brick-built building containing a waiting room for passengers; it could be reached from the station's eastern end by a boarded railway crossing.

Northenden Junction signal box is sited 200 yards (183 metres) to the east of where the main station buildings were, on the north side of the line, adjoining Longley Lane.

During the late 19th century, the CLC operated five trains per day from Stockport Tiviot Dale, stopping at Northenden and continuing via Deansgate Junction near Broadheath to Altrincham.

Northern Trains operates diesel multiple units on the Mid-Cheshire line between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester, via Stockport, Navigation Road, Altrincham and Northwich.