The Leicester and Swannington Railway opened in 1832. It passed less than east of Ellistown and its nearest station was at just over a mile northeast of the village. The Midland Railway took over the line in 1845, and a few years later realigned the railway between and Bardon Hill to avoid the 1 in 29 Bagworth Incline. The new alignment was slightly west of the old route, and the Midland opened a new Bagworth and Ellistown railway station at Bagworth south of Ellistown. In 1849 the Midland opened an extension from to , which made the line through Bagworth and Ellistown part of its Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line.