It was expanded in 1908 but a major rebuilding scheme that started in 1938 was delayed by the Second World War and was not completed until 1962.

John Betjeman commented unfavourably on its new form in his introduction to The Book of the Great Western: Plymouth (North Road) dullest of stations and no less dull now it has been rebuilt in copybook contemporary.

This company amalgamated with the GWR in 1876, just as the LSWR was completing its rival route from London to Plymouth.

[5] North Road station was opened on 28 March 1877 to provide a joint facility for trains of both companies.

Work was soon stopped due to the Second World War but on North Road was increased when Millbay station had to be closed to passengers in 1941 following an air raid.

[2] The rebuilding work was resumed in 1956 to the designs of architect Howard Cavanagh and Ian Campbell[9] and the new station with its large office block, 'Intercity House', was formally opened by Dr Richard Beeching, the British Railways Chairman, on 26 March 1962.

[6][7] The office block was intended to be the northern point of Armada Way, counterbalancing the tower of the Civic Centre at the southern end, in the Abercrombie/Paton-Watson 'Plan for Plymouth'.

[13] On 3 April 2016, Class 150 diesel multiple unit 150219 collided with a stationary InterCity 125 High Speed Train at platform 6.

Intercity Place, an 11 floor tower next to the station, is being rebuilt for use by the University of Plymouth and the existing three-story car park is being replaced by a new six-story car park on the site of the current Rail Incident Safety Centre building which will be relocated to a new building to the west of the station.

[20] The old car park will then be demolished and turned into potential sites for more University buildings including a new accommodation block[21] and a hotel.

Most CrossCountry trains from Scotland and the North of England via Bristol terminate at Plymouth, although 2 continue to Penzance, and, on summer weekends, Newquay.

[24] From Plymouth, most services terminate at Edinburgh Waverley via Birmingham New Street, however, 1 train per day operates towards both Glasgow Central and Aberdeen respectively.

[25] Local services are provided by Great Western Railway along the Cornish Main Line, often extended eastwards to and from Newton Abbot, Exeter St Davids and beyond.

At the other end of the station the East box was closed and a new 79 feet (24.1 m) structure built, again on the north side of the line, which was brought into use on 25 June 1939.

The Panel Signal Box at the station controls all trains between (but not at) Totnes in Devon, and Liskeard in Cornwall.