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. 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. 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. ==Officers==