Woodside railway station was opened by July 1871 by the Mid-Kent Railway, to serve the nearby race course: a ramp facilitated the loading of racehorses. After the course closed in 1890, use of the station decreased. The down bay platform fell into disuse in 1917 following closure of the line to Selsdon, reopened upon electrification in 1935 with through services to London. By the early 1960s patronage was in decline. The small goods yard closed in 1963. The line to Selsdon closed in 1983 and the signal box at the south end of the down platform closed in 1984. Through services to London were withdrawn and train services were reduced to a shuttle service between Addiscombe and Elmers End. The station building at street level over the platforms was destaffed in 1993 and was boarded up. In 1996 Addiscombe signal box was burnt down and single-line working was introduced with all trains using the down line and the up platform falling into disuse .