The station was built by the Midland Railway near the junction of the circuitous Mansfield Woodhouse to Westhouses via Teversall Manor line known as "The Teversall & Pleasley Branch" and the equally circuitous Barrow Hill to Pleasley line[3] known as the Doe Lea Branch because it ran for much of its length along the valley of the River Doe Lea.

[12] Normal passenger traffic along the Doe Lea Branch was three trains a day with an extra on Saturdays.

[13] Glapwell Colliery and others in the Doe Lea Valley were still going strong at this time, but all their coal went out northwards, so very little traffic passed through the steep line through Rowthorn Tunnel.

Although closed in 1930 the station remained physically intact and was used until 1963 for excursion traffic to places such as Skegness.

Parts of the trackbed and those of neighbouring lines have been turned into public footpaths and bridleways.