The original station was built in 1840 for the Midland Counties Railway, which in 1844 joined the North Midland Railway and the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway to form the Midland Railway The line cut the village in two connecting the halves with a substantial stone bridge. There were complaints from local residents about the facilities provided at the station. In 1897 the parish council were petitioning the company for improvements, but the Midland Railway company were resistant. By 1910 the council raised a petition to the company to resolve 5 issues
The dangerous level crossing, stating the several accidents had been narrowly avoided.
The need of better accommodation for vehicular traffic. The number of vehicles using the station had increased and blocking of the road, especially by milk carts, was a danger as well as an inconvenience
The want of a comfortable waiting room on the up platform. There was only an open shelter with no provision for a fire in cold weather.
The lowness of the platforms, which were thought to be the cause of a passenger suffering a fractured ankle when alighting from a train.
This time the council were more successful as early in 1912 they received a letter from the Railway Company confirming the improvements which would be made.
Access from King Street to the up-platform without passengers having to cross the running lines.
Improved vehicular access to the station
The additional waiting room
Raising and lengthening the platforms
Footpath access from Brook Street.
The platform structures were of timber and very little remains after closure in 1968 apart from the station house. It reopened on 27 May 1994 as part of phase one of the Ivanhoe Line.
Station masters
Benjamin Preston ca. 1862 ca. 1865
Eli Crofts ca. 1877 - 1888
W.J. Martin 1888 - 1892
W.G. Fudge 1892 - 1898
Henry Dring 1898 - 1907
T.W. Bloore 1907 - 1915
Edward Arnold ca. 1920
Arthur Fourt 1922 - ????
J.W. Flint 1937 - ????
Services
For journeys beginning at Sileby, the full range of tickets for travel for any destination in the country are purchased from the guard on the train at no extra cost. It is a penalty fare station however, so a permit to travel must be bought from the machine installed on the Leicester-bound platform before joining the train. On Monday to Saturdays, there is an hourly service southbound to Leicester and northbound to Nottingham continuing onwards to Lincoln Central. There is no Sunday service. Services are operated byEast Midlands Railway.
