Gathurst station is on the outskirts of the town of Wigan, Greater Manchester. The semi-rural Gathurst is a recently refurbished two-platform station on the Southport line 2¾ miles north west of Wigan Wallgate station. The station also serves the nearby village of Shevington, indeed until 1973 was named Gathurst for Shevington.

The station also had exchange sidings served by a narrow gauge railway that ran from Gathurst across the River Douglas valley on a steel viaduct to the nearby ICI explosives factory at Shevington. Some remnants of the narrow gauge system can still be seen if you look closely.

Gathurst is close to the River Douglas and the Leeds Liverpool canal and is very well placed for good walking.