It was built in 1839 by the Midland Counties Railway which linked Derby and Nottingham with Leicester and thence to London St Pancras.

Additionally the Meadow Lane, South Erewash/Trent Station North, Sawley Junction and Platt's Crossing components were removed when those sections of line disappeared.

At this time passengers from Nottingham travelled to Derby before heading for London, an 18 miles (29 km) round trip.

Platt's Crossing was removed and the Derby line brought round in a sharp curve to enter the station from the north.

In 1869 a further line was built from Sawley, from what was known as Sheet Stores Junction, to Stenson which allowed trains for the West Midlands to bypass Derby.

Derby continued to handle the services from London to Manchester along what is now the Derwent Valley Line, some of which bypassed Trent due to the difficulty of negotiating the North Curve.

[4] On 1 December 1930 the LMS Manchester to Yarmouth express derailed at the station when 5 coaches left the rails, destroying 100 yards (91 m) of permanent way.

[5] After the station closed on 1 January 1968, Trevor Park MP for South East Derbyshire raised a complaint to Sir Edmund Compton, Parliamentary Commissioner.