It opened in 1834 to transport goods between Wadebridge, the limit of navigation on the River Camel, and inland farming and mining areas.

[1] The original station in Wadebridge was built on a triangle of land bounded by the River Camel, the Polmorla brook, and what is now The Platt.

The single platform and engine shed were on the town side of the line, which continued across Molesworth Street to serve the quays immediately downstream of Wadebridge bridge.

This station remained in use until 3 September 1888 when the railway closed so that the track, still laid on the granite blocks used in its construction in 1834, could be relaid using the more usual transverse wooden sleepers.

At this time a new station was built slightly nearer to Bodmin, separated from the central portion of Wadebridge town by the Polmorla brook.

The works also involved considerable re-arrangement of the track layout and signalling, with the original goods connection over Molesworth Street, using the existing level crossing, to the quay being upgraded to a passenger line.

This was sited adjacent to the farm crossing that allowed access to Jubilee meadow, the field which separated the station from the river.

In keeping with its reduced status, the buildings on the island platform and the engine shed were demolished in the years after closure with the remains of the concrete footbridge being dumped unceremoniously in the turntable pit.

Wadebridge continued in use for freight until 1978, particularly sending out powdered slate from Delabole quarry for which a vacuum system was installed to load Presflo wagons.