[1] Services ran east to Heywood and Rochdale and west to Bolton and Wigan Wallgate (and also towards Chorley, Liverpool and Preston).

There was also a connection from here northwards to neighbouring Bolton Street station on the East Lancashire Railway line from Clifton Junction to Bacup and Accrington.

The collision caused three of the goods wagons to derail and roll down the embankment, this accident led to Redfern dying of his injuries as well as injuring three others.

This had stayed open to freight (along with the old ELR route to Rawtenstall) until December 1980 and had previously (from March 1980 until final closure) crossed what is now the Manchester Metrolink line to Bury Interchange (though it was still BR-operated at that time) on the level.

In order to reopen the route, a bridge (with steep approach gradients on either side known locally as the ski-jump) was constructed in the early 1990s and opened to traffic in July 2003[5] to carry the ELR line over the Metrolink and this now occupies the old station site.