 Land had been acquired for a double track line but only a single track was laid, using weight rails, on cross sleepered track.The line was to be worked by the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway, under the same rules as the Thirsk and Malton Line.Work on the line began in 1847, and by 1849 over £100,000 had been expended on the construction of the line, the majority on works (£52,921) and permanent way (£31,597).