The company

As a company, it was the oldest of the three, having begun in 1796 as the Grimsby Haven Company, when the harbour was enlarged. When new fishing grounds were discovered on the Dogger Bank trade increased and in 1845 the Grimsby Haven became part of the Grimsby Docks Company. Five of its directors were also on the board of the proposed Great Grimsby & Sheffield Junction Railway, intended to connect with the proposed Sheffield and Lincolnshire line. The decision was taken to amalgamate the two undertakings.

Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway Act 1845
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act for making a Railway from a Place in the Parish of Bole in the County of Nottingham, near to the Town and Port of Gainsborough, to the Town and Port of Great Grimsby in the Parts of Lindsey in the County of Lincoln, with Branches to the District or Place called New Holland, and to the Town of Market Rasen, to be called "The Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway."
Citation	8 & 9 Vict. c. l
Other legislation
Repealed by	Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Act 1849
Status: Repealed

Both the SA&MR and the S&LJR were well represented on the board and it was the latter's engineer who had carried out the survey in 1844. He offered three alternatives, via Brigg, via Caistor or via Market Rasen. Of the three, the first was chosen, with a branch from Brigg to Market Rasen. The line received royal assent at the same time as the Grimsby Docks Company was approved in 1845.^[1] The ferries on the Humber were also purchased and a branch would be built to New Holland. In 1846 permission was gained for line from Market Rasen to Lincoln.

Lines and stations

The first board meeting of the amalgamated Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway took place on 6 January 1847. Work concentrated on the section between Grimsby and New Holland Pier, which opened on 1 March 1848 concurrently the East Lincolnshire Railway from Grimsby to Louth (now part of the Great Northern). There were stations at Goxhill, Ulceby, Habrough, Stallingborough, Healing and Great Coates. The station at Thornton Abbey was built in 1849 replacing one at Thornton Curtis. The line from Ulceby to Brigg opened a few months later, followed by that to Market Rasen and thence to Lincoln. The first included stations at Brocklesby and Barnetby. The latter had stations at Moortown, Holton Le Moor, Usselby, Wickenby, Langworth and Reepham. The section between Brigg and Gainsborough opened in 1849, with stations at Scawby and Hibaldstow, Kirton Lindsey, Northorpe and Blyton.