It was built by the Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway in 1849, replacing a temporary one at Thornton Curtis.

It also serves the village of Thornton Curtis and is managed by East Midlands Railway.

All services at Thornton Abbey are operated by East Midlands Railway using Class 170 DMUs.

The typical off-peak service is one train every two hours in each direction between Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber.

[3] On Sundays, the station is served by four trains per day in each direction during the summer months only.