This meant the passenger trains from the town to Loftus and Whitby that started in 1875 had to reverse into and out of the terminus before regaining the correct direction at Saltburn West Junction.

In its heyday, the station had four platforms and a sizeable number of carriage sidings to handle the large quantities of excursion trains that ran there – these included services from as far away as Leeds and Blackpool.

[2] There was also a short siding extension (approximately 300 yards (270 m)) from the main station to another platform at the rear of the railway-owned Zetland Hotel (opened in 1863) where passengers in first class carriages could disembark directly into their accommodation.

Today both of the two surviving excursion bay platforms are used for scheduled services, but neither the main station building nor the Zetland Hotel is in rail-related use – the former having been converted into a photographic studio, cafe and various other retail outlets and the latter into luxury flats.

[4][5][6][7] As part of the scheme, Saltburn Station would have received new shelters and new electronic information displays, as well as improved service to Darlington (1–2 to 4 trains per hour).

From December 2024 timetable change, the majority of Transpennine Express services will begin and end their journeys at Redcar Central, leaving Saltburn with just three departures a day.