This was replaced by a second station north of the present site, on the opposite side of the road bridge, built by the Midland Railway.

The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority put forward a four-year plan for the improvement of services and stations as part of their Rail Development Plan, this leading to the re-instatement of the "Swinton Curve", from the former North Midland Railway at Swinton to the former South Yorkshire Railway at Mexborough West Junction, the building of a new station at Swinton and the re-routing of all passenger trains via this route.

Immediately after reopening by British Rail in 1990 it was unstaffed, but increased passenger usage led to the establishment in the 1990s of initially a small cabin staffed for the morning peak period only.

[2] The station sits on the main North East - South West corridor which means various express services and freight trains pass through.

Since the May 2018 timetable change, Swinton no longer has direct trains to Scunthorpe or Lincoln, and the two TransPennine Express services that previously called here now pass through non-stop.