The station was built by the Midland Railway on the circuitous Barrow Hill to Pleasley West line[3] known as the Doe Lea Branch, because it ran for much of its length along the valley of the River Doe Lea.

[4][5] The line was single track between Seymour Junction[6][7] and Pleasley West.

[8] Normal passenger traffic along the Doe Lea Branch dwindled over the years and finally ceased on 28 July 1930.

When Glapwell Colliery closed in 1974 the line South of Bolsover Castle station became redundant, though it was not lifted until 1978.

The trackbed through the station South from Bolsover Castle through the site of Palterton and Sutton station to the bottom of Rylah Hill between Palterton and M1 J29 is now a public bridleway known as The Stockley Trail.