Background A company, named the "South Yorkshire Coal Railway", set out its plans in a prospectus in 1845. Its proposals were given as being "To connect the South Yorkshire coalfield with the existing and proposed main lines of railway, in connection with the canals and navigation of that district": Nothing further than to move coal from the area where it was mined to its major markets. These met with opposition in Parliament, principally from the
North Midland Railway and the, still at proposal stage line of the
Manchester, Midland and Great Grimsby Junction Railway which saw the South Yorkshire proposals as a rival to its own intentions. The opposition won the day and the South Yorkshire Coal Railway Bill was defeated. The North Midland Railway completed its line between Leeds and Derby passing through Swinton, its nearest point to Doncaster. This led to pressure for a line to be built connecting the North Midland to Doncaster.
South Yorkshire, Doncaster and Goole Railway (1847–1850) A bill was introduced to Parliament for a
South Yorkshire Coal Railway in 1846. but failed to win the required powers but was re-introduced later, in a shorter version. In the 1846/7 session of Parliament the
South Yorkshire, Doncaster and Goole Railway Company (SYD&GR) was established 22 July by the '
(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. After amalgamation the company became the South Yorkshire Railway and River Dun Company'''
. In reference to its railway activities it was usually referred to as the South Yorkshire Railway''.
Swinton to Doncaster Work on the main line was under way by October 1847, the first, ceremonial sod being cut in "Warmsworth Field", the site of the present day cutting. 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. The Board of Trade inspector, Captain George Wynne, inspected the Doncaster-Swinton section of the line on 31 October 1849 and reported it as safe for use, also noting some deviations from the permitted line. The date of opening was set for Saturday, 3 November, however delays put this back by a week, and the Swinton to Doncaster line was opened 16 November 1850.
Swinton to Barnsley The Elsecar branch was opened for mineral traffic on 1 March 1850. with a service between
Doncaster and
Sheffield from November 1855. This service was operated by the South Yorkshire Railway with its own locomotives and stock. The line opened for goods traffic on 11 September 1854, and was single track throughout, with just one passing point,
Westwood. The line was extended from Meadowhall to Tinsley in 1861 and eventually reached Woodburn Junction, on the main line of the MS&LR just east of
Sheffield Victoria, opening on 1 August 1864, just after the company ceased as a separate entity. The "Darnall Curve", linking this line to an east facing junction on the main line, was also opened in 1864. Increasingly recognised as a bottleneck, the line was doubled in 1876 and Ecclesfield station was remodelled with staggered platforms linked by a footbridge.
South Yorkshire Railway and River Dun Company (1850–1864) In the parliamentary session of 1851 the South Yorkshire Railway and River Dun Company (SYR&RDCo.) applied for permission to lease, sell or amalgamate itself with the
Great Northern Railway, In the 1860s the '
(25 & 26 Vict. c. cxli) and the ' (
26 & 27 Vict. c. cxlvi) allowed the Barnsley to Sheffield branch to be extended to a junction with
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway's (MS&LR) Sheffield line; and the line to Thorne to be straightened. The South Yorkshire Railway Act 1863 also enabled the purchase of the
Barnsley Coal Railway. The line ran along the southern bank of
River Don 'Flood Drain', starting from
Marsh Lane junction just north of Doncaster. After
Long Sandall it followed the north bank of the
River Don Navigation, past
Kirk Sandall,
Barnby upon Don,
Sand Bramwith to
Stainforth; and thence along or close to the north bank of the
Stainforth and Keadby Canal to Thorne. The line initially terminating at
Thorne Waterside railway station (or "Thorne Lock"), which was then the only station on the line. The line was opened in September 1859 with only one intermediate station at
Crowle, others at
Maud's Bridge,
Medge Hall,
Godnow Bridge were opened shortly afterwards. In 1860 the company began seeking permission for a line from its terminus at Keadby, across the Trent, with one bill promoting a line continuing to the MS&LR's line near Brigg;
Straightening, and route to Hull In the parliamentary session of 1861/2 the company applied for, and obtained an act to make a straightened line from Doncaster to Thorne. The proposed line was to branch from the extant line at
Long Sandall Lock the pass roughly north and east rejoining the old railway at a junction at ''Maude's bridge'' east of Thorne. The station at Thorne was moved nearer the town centre after only a short time (
Thorne (Old) railway station) and remained as such until the 'straightening' in 1864 when
Thorne South was opened.
Barnsley to Sheffield line extension The 1863 act allowed a southwards extension of Blackburn Valley line to meet the MS&LR's line into Sheffield near
Attercliffe.
Amalgamation with the MS&LR (1864) In 1861
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MS&LR) began a lease of the SYR, having already allowed the company use of
Sheffield Victoria station. On 23 June 1864 the '''''' (
27 & 28 Vict. c. lxxvii) enabled the MS&LR to take over the SYR for 999 years. As part of the arrangement the MS&LR was to pay the dividends and interests relating to SYR stock, and to give half of the net profits of the line to the South Yorkshire company, with working expenses taken to be 38% of gross profits for accounting purposes. The '''''' (
37 & 38 Vict. c. cxxxi) enabled the transfer of the rights and responsibilities of the company to the MS&LR, and the former company was dissolved. ==Locomotives==