[1] At a junction to the west of Tyldesley railway station, the line to Wigan North Western railway station headed north west via Chowbent, Hindley and Platt Bridge to Springs Branch near Wigan.
The timber built Chowbent Station was situated on an embankment accessed by steps and was renamed Howe Bridge in 1901.
[2] The station joined the London Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping in 1923.
It passed to the London Midland Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948.
[3] A connection to Fletcher, Burrows and Company's Chanters Colliery was provided by the LNWR to the east of the station.