Ilkley station was opened in August 1865 as the western terminus of the Otley and Ilkley Joint Railway (Midland and North Eastern railways). The station buildings were designed by the Chief Architect to the Midland Railway John Holloway Sanders. This railway offered two alternative routes to - either via and the Leeds Northern/NER line through or via and the former Leeds and Bradford Railway along the Aire Valley. The Midland subsequently built a branch from the latter route to in 1876 to provide a direct line from the town to . A milepost on the former Platform 4 indicated that the station was 211.25 miles from London St. Pancras.