Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway
| Company type | Railway company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1845 |
| Defunct | 1847 |
| Fate | Merged to form Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Area served | Lincolnshire, England |
Key people | Charles Anderson-Pelham, 1st Earl of Yarborough (chairman); Michael Ellison (vice chairman); John Hambly Humfrey (secretary); John Fowler (chief engineer) |
The Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway was an early British rail enterprise that operated between 1845 and 1847, designed to establish a connection across Grimsby, New Holland, and Gainsborough within Lincolnshire. In 1847, this company merged with the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway and the Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction Railway, resulting in the creation of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway.
The company
Initially founded in 1796 as the Grimsby Haven Company during harbour development efforts, it transitioned into the Grimsby Docks Company by 1845 due to increased commerce from emerging fishing areas on the Dogger Bank. Several directors were common to both this company and the proposed Great Grimsby & Sheffield Junction Railway, which aimed to link with the Sheffield and Lincolnshire line, leading to their eventual unification.
The board comprised members representing both the SA&MR and S&LJR. In 1844, an engineer from the S&LJR conducted a survey presenting three potential routes: passing through Brigg, Caistor, or Market Rasen. The route via Brigg was chosen, incorporating a branch line to Market Rasen. Parliamentary approval was granted in 1845 simultaneously for the railway and the Grimsby Docks Company. The company also took over Humber ferry operations and planned a branch line extending to New Holland. In 1846, authorization was obtained to prolong the line from Market Rasen to Lincoln.
Lines and stations
The inaugural meeting of the newly merged Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway board took place on 6 January 1847. Early construction concentrated on the segment between Grimsby and New Holland Pier, which opened on 1 March 1848 alongside the East Lincolnshire Railway connecting Grimsby to Louth (now part of the Great Northern network). Principal stations along this route included Goxhill, Ulceby, Habrough, Stallingborough, Healing, and Great Coates. In 1849, the Thornton Abbey station replaced an earlier facility at Thornton Curtis. Subsequent extensions linked Ulceby to Brigg, continuing onward to Market Rasen and then to Lincoln, with stops at Brocklesby, Barnetby, Moortown, Holton Le Moor, Usselby, Wickenby, Langworth, and Reepham. The branch from Brigg to Gainsborough commenced operations in 1849, serving stations including Scawby and Hibaldstow, Kirton Lindsey, Northorpe, and Blyton.
Officers
- Charles Anderson-Pelham, 1st Earl of Yarborough (chairman)
- Michael Ellison (vice chairman)
- John Hambly Humfrey (secretary)
- John Fowler (chief engineer)
See also
- Grimsby District Light Railway (route between Grimsby and Cleethorpes)
- Grimsby and Immingham Electric Railway (connecting Grimsby and Immingham)
- Barton and Immingham Light Railway (linking Immingham with Barton upon Humber)