The first railway to Marton was on the line linking the ports of
Foxton and
Whanganui to their hinterland. It opened in sections. The line from Whanganui to
Turakina opened on Thursday 17 May 1877, declared a public holiday by Whanganui's mayor. Stewart & Co built the extension from Turakina to Marton. The earthworks to Marton were said to be completed by the end of 1876. However, trains weren't extended south until 4 February 1878. Two months later there was criticism that Marton station was too small and too far from the town; in 1875 there had been a plan for the station to be further east, which would have been closer to the town centre. The contract for the final link, from Feilding to the
Rangitīkei River, was let on 28 June 1876. Special trains ran from
Halcombe and from
Palmerston North to Marton in April 1878. The Foxton to
Whanganui line was fully opened on 20 May 1878. In March 1895 a telephone was provided to link Marton and Marton Jct. Although no conclusive decision had been reached on the routes, even by 1900, Marton station was moved to the junction in 1898. Pukepapa closed on 10 August 1959. G F Baker completed a station at Marton on 10 October 1876. Alexander & McFarlane added more buildings by 15 May 1878 and Andrew C Riggs added more by 2 January 1880. By 1884 there was a
4th class station, by goods shed, loading bank, cattle and sheep yards, stationmaster's house, passenger platform, cart approach and a
passing loop for 15 wagons. By 1896 there was a shelter shed, passenger platform, crane, water service, coal accommodation, engine shed, stationmaster's house and a passing loop for 40 wagons. A bookstall was discussed in 1898 and out for tender in 1911. From its official opening on 1 June, it had a stationmaster and its name was changed from Marton Junction to Marton. By 1 December 1898 it also had a cart approach (Henderson Brothers offered land for the road in 1896), by goods shed, loading bank, cattle and sheep yards, engine turning triangle, fixed signals and urinals. In 1905 it was noted that it was a lean-to type station building, with a round-roof goods shed. It was also noted that the
reversing triangle, put in for the
Royal Train in 1901, was of little use for ordinary shunting and out of use. Railway houses were built in 1898, 1913, 1953, 1954 and 1955 and the stationmaster's house improved in 1900. There was a post office and public telephone at the station from November 1898 until 31 August 1934. Station Rd had a
gas lit footpath added in 1911. and the station, yard, and engine shed were gas lit in 1916. In 1928 Marton had two signal cabins. In 1929 a
turntable was built. In 1991 it was noted as being in very poor condition and not needed. In 1987
train examining was removed from Marton. In 1931 the station employed 15 salaried staff, in addition to those in the locomotive, maintenance, signal & electrical and traffic branches.
Refreshment rooms On 24 December 1898 the
refreshment rooms at Halcombe were replaced by those at Marton. More rooms were built in 1901 and a counter refreshment room added in 1905. In 1917, when
dining cars were removed from trains, a set table refreshment room opened. From 1940 to 1954 there was a railway hostel for female refreshment room staff.
1960s rebuilding In October 1963 Blain Building Coy Ltd, Halcombe started work on a £40,749.18.0 contract to demolish the old station and build a new one. It was done in stages, with the old station building demolished in August 1964 and the new station, by , opened on Thursday, 1 April 1965. On 1 April 1993 a third of the new station building was destroyed by fire. The
New Plymouth Express,
Night Limited,
Scenic Daylight,
Silver Star,
Silver Fern,
Blue Streak,
Northerner and
Overlander all stopped at the station. The first Auckland - Wellington through expresses ran on 14 February 1909, taking 19 hours 13 minutes, and stopping at Marton. As early as 1917 a bus competed for Whanganui passengers, following cuts in railway services. == Freight ==