The station was built by the Midland Railway on the circuitous Barrow Hill to Pleasley West line[2] known as the Doe Lea Branch, because it ran for much of its length along the valley of the River Doe Lea.

Normal passenger traffic along the Doe Lea Branch dwindled over the years and finally ceased on 28 July 1930.

[7] 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 station and the steep line through Rowthorn Tunnel.

Rowthorn Tunnel was used for growing mushrooms then for storing ammunition during the Second World War.

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