The station was built by the North Staffordshire Railway (NSR) to serve its main line from Stoke-on-Trent to Derby.

[1] The following month on 11 September 1848 the line was completed through to Burton and through running between Stoke and Derby began.

In 1880, the NSR decided to close all three and construct a north to west line forming a triangular junction.

The last mainline steam train used the station on 16 September 1957 and thereafter an hourly DMU service operated which has been used ever since.

When this franchise expired in August 2019, East Midlands Railway began operations and in May 2021, services were once again extended past Derby to provide Uttoxeter with a direct link to Long Eaton, Nottingham and Newark Castle.

[6] It is the closest railway station to Alton Towers to which it is linked by an infrequent bus service.

On weekdays and Saturdays, the station is generally served by an hourly service westbound to Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent and eastbound to Newark Castle via Derby and Nottingham.

Additional trains serve the station during the Midlands Grand National to cater for the increased passenger numbers for the event.