 It was intended to give the NER access to the Frodingham district, and was brought into use in 1877.In 1879 when the Swinton and Knottingley Joint Railway was opened, double connections were laid in with the WR&GR.These ran from the east side of the S&KJR into South Elmsall station, and from the west side of the S&KJR, at Moorthorpe station, to the south side of the WR&GR at Moorthorpe junction; the latter connection was used by the Sheffield-Leeds service of the MS&LR.