Lying on the Derby–Nottingham line, the first station on the site was opened by the Midland Counties Railway (MCR) on 5 June 1839.

Trains to Spondon originally left from the north end of Derby station before turning east towards Nottingham.

The station was enlarged in the early 20th century to cope with the volume of traffic for the nearby British Celanese plant.

The station is also the location of the junction for rail freight traffic into the British Celanese works.

[1] On 13 August 1924 the station master, Henry Ernest Haines, was killed in the stationmaster’s house when a lorry crashed into the building.