The station was opened along with the first section of the Caledonian Railway's main line from in September 1847. The line initially terminated at , but was completed through to Glasgow & Edinburgh early the following year. A branch line from here to via Lochmaben was completed in September 1863 – this was constructed by the independent "Dumfries, Lochmaben & Lockerbie Railway", but was absorbed by the Caledonian company two years later. Though this route allowed the Caledonian company to reach Dumfries and thus compete with the rival Glasgow and South Western Railway, it never developed beyond country branch status.