The present station was opened 9 October 1848 by the North Staffordshire Railway as Harecastle and was during the early years of the North Staffordshire era variously called Harecastle Junction, Kidsgrove Junction. Kidsgrove Junction, Harecastle before settling upon Harecastle in 1875.[2] Between 1885 and 1886 and 1923 and 1924 it was called Harecastle for Kidsgrove.[2] In 1944 it was renamed Kidsgrove.
On Sundays, the station is served by an hourly service between Crewe and Stafford and 6 trains per day between Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent. The first Manchester-bound train on a Sunday extends to Manchester Oxford Road. Hourly Sunday services operate between Crewe and Derby after 14:00 only.