The Liverpool, St Helens and South Lancashire Railway, which ran from a junction with the Wigan Junction Railways (WJR) to the north of , opened for goods and mineral traffic in 1895, but passenger services did not commence until January 1900.
Overall, the station and goods facilities covered 8acre, however the passenger section only consisted of one platform with a somewhat rudimentary wooden canopy shelter (compared to the brick-built booking office).