The station closed in September 1914 and was used occasionally for race specials from 1920 until full public service restored (upon electrification) on 25 March 1928.

[3] In its heyday, the station had seven platforms (to handle the sizeable amounts of racecourse traffic)[4] but today only three remain.

On 1 December 1993, an approaching train (the 06.16 from Victoria) failed to brake in time to stop in the platform and overran the buffer stops; the leading vehicle ended up mounting the concourse and becoming embedded in the wooden station booking office (which subsequently had to be demolished).

The typical off-peak service is two trains per hour to London Bridge, running non-stop from Norwood Junction.

On Sundays, that is reduced to an hourly shuttle service to Purley, where passengers for London Bridge have to change trains.