The North Midland Railway completed its line between Leeds and Derby passing through Swinton, its nearest point to Doncaster.
[clarification needed][citation needed] In the 1846/7 session of Parliament the South Yorkshire, Doncaster and Goole Railway Company (SYD&GR) was established 22 July by the South Yorkshire, Doncaster and Goole Railway Act 1847 (10 & 11 Vict.
c. ccxci) enabling it to acquire the permitted lines of Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Goole Railway (SRBWH&GR) south of Barnsley, make new lines, and acquire the River Dun Navigation and Dearne and Dove Canal.
c. lxv), the South Yorkshire, Doncaster and Goole Railway (Deviation and Extension of Elsecar Branch) Act 1850 (13 & 14 Vict.
Work ran overtime but the line was ready for a trial run to take place on 29 October 1849 when a special train left Doncaster, Cherry Tree Lane station located on the triangle junction with the Great Northern Railway (GNR), southwest of Doncaster.
The train, made up of two first class carriages loaned by the Midland Railway and a GNR open wagon fitted with seats, was propelled by a four-coupled tank locomotive which had been used for ballasting the line.
[12] The passenger service, to run from Sheffield, was to be operated by the Midland Railway and was timed to connect with their trains from the North, Derby, Birmingham, Gloucester, Bristol and London.
It was always the intention of the company to convey the coal over its own metals for onward shipment and a line was projected to run east of Doncaster for this purpose.
The main line northwards towards Barnsley had reached Oldham Bridge (later known as Aldham) by 1850, and a branch west to Worsborough was opened in 1850.
The branch to west through Worsborough continued to at terminus at Moor End goods station, near Silkstone Common, opened by 1852.
In March 1852 land was bought to complete the line between Barnsley and Sheffield, although at this time the only way a through service of any type could be offered was by a reversal at Wombwell Central.
Increasingly recognised as a bottleneck, the line was doubled in 1876 and Ecclesfield station was remodelled with staggered platforms linked by a footbridge.
In the parliamentary session of 1851 the South Yorkshire Railway and River Dun Company (SYR&RDCo.)
[35] The line ran along the southern bank of River Don 'Flood Drain', starting from Marsh Lane junction just north of Doncaster.
[21] The line was passed as safe for passengers by the government inspector in June 1856, provided only one engine was in steam at any time on the line, and subject to a maximum speed of 12 miles per hour (19 km/h) as curves were as small as 8 chains (530 ft; 160 m) radius; road crossings at Bramwith, Barnby Dun and Stainforth were also required to be staffed.
[21] A second section from Thorne to Keadby was also constructed, again without parliamentary powers and built on the canal bank already in the company's ownership.
c. clvi) passed for the Trent, Ancholme and Grimsby line,[41] and the South Yorkshire Railway Amendment Act 1861 (24 & 25 Vict.
[42] The SYR's line was 2 miles 59 chains (4.4 km) in length, for which the act had provided powers to raise an additional £100,000 through shares, plus a third of that in loans.
[43] In the parliamentary session of 1861/2 the company applied for, and obtained an act to make a straightened line from Doncaster to Thorne.
[23][24] In the session of 1862/3 the North Eastern Railway (NER) obtained an act for a line from its Hull and Selby Line at Staddlethorpe ( now known as Gilberdyke) to Thorne; the company had come to arrangements with rival companies including the SYR not to oppose the bill; and an act authorising the Hull and Doncaster Branch was authorised 23 July 1863.
[48][49] Abbreviations: Because of duplication of tracks between main centres, the inconvenient siting of passenger stations, closure of collieries and other lineside works much of the system has now been closed or truncated.