The Great Northern Railway (GNR) opened the station at the terminus of its line from , originally built by the
Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway. The station was designed by the local architect
Thomas Chambers Hine. GNR trains originally used
Nottingham Midland station, but there were frequent disputes; this included when the GNR began running through trains from via Grantham in a shorter time than the
Midland Railway could manage. To solve the problem, the GNR opened its own station served by a new line from near
Netherfield, adjacent to the Midland line whose tracks it had previously used. The station cost £20,000 (equivalent to £ in 2026) to build and originally featured two platforms, one for arrivals and one for departures. In 1880 the number of platforms was increased to five. Arnemann was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 20 years
penal servitude. In 1972 the station became a grade II
listed building. The station was closed completely to rail traffic on 11 July 1988. In 1998, Nottingham City Council approved a planning application to restore the building and convert it into a Holmes Place health and fitness club, which opened in May 1999. Since 2006 the building has been operated by
Virgin Active. == London Road High Level ==