West Riding and Grimsby Railway

The West Riding and Grimsby Railway was a joint railway whose main line linked Wakefield with Doncaster, whilst a branch line ran between Adwick and Stainforth. The companies involved were the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway and the Great Northern Railway.The Great Northern Railway already served Wakefield from many of the Woollen District towns and cities, and Doncaster on its main north-south main line, whilst the M.S.& L.R. could offer connections to Grimsby, and its docks, and the seaside resort of Cleethorpes.

Route

The main line ran from Wakefield, the county town of the West Riding of Yorkshire, to Marshgate Junction, just north of Doncaster and the branch from Adwick Junction near Adwick-le-Street and Carcroft to Stainforth Junction, just to the west of the present day Hadfield and Stainforth. There were also three further lines: a triangular junction was created at Adwick, opened in November 1866, which made it possible, should it be required, to run from Doncaster to Grimsby by this route; secondly a line from Hare Park Junction, near Wakefield, to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway near to Wakefield Kirkgate, and lastly a connection to the Midland Railway at Oakenshaw Junction, south of Wakefield.

Opening

The main line was opened in February 1866 with intermediate stations at Sandal, Hare Park, Nostell, Hemsworth, South Elmsall and Adwick-le-Street and Carcroft. Since that time halts were opened at Hampole and Bentley Crossing. One station was built on the "branch" line at Bramwith.

Modern times

New stations at Adwick, Bentley, Sandal and Agbrigg (30 November 1987) and Fitzwilliam (1 March 1982) have been opened as population shift has made these viable. South Elmsall is the only original station but this has been extended and the Doncaster-bound (Up) platform rebuilt.