The main line was to begin from junctions with the Sheffield and Rotherham Railway near Brightside and Kimberworth roughly halfway between Sheffield and Rotherham, past Ecclesfield and Tankersley to Barnsley, then past Darton to a junction with the Manchester and Leeds Railway east of Horbury.
[1] The bill was originally supported by the Manchester and Leeds Railway (M&LR), who were to provide half the capital for the line, as well as work the railway for 40% of net profit; during the passage of the bill through Parliament agreement was reached that a rival company, the South Yorkshire Coal Railway and Canal Company would take control of the line south of Barnsley, and the LYR the portion north, with each company having running powers over the Silkstone and Dodworth branches.
[1] The company obtained the Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Wakefield, Huddersfield, and Goole Railway Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict.
[1] On 9 September 1846 the M&LR company shareholders agreed to lease, and potentially purchase the line, as permitted in the 1846 act.
Around 1900 a chord was constructed at the northern end ("Horbury and Crigglestone loop"), creating a large triangle junction.
[n 6][14] In 1850, the company applied to make a deviation of, and abandon part of the original main line of 1846 between Ecclesfield and Silkstone,[n 7] passed in 1851.