 On 16 July 1866, the Midland Railway (Settle to Carlisle) Act was passed by Parliament, authorising the company "to construct Railways from Settle to Hawes, Appleby, and Carlisle; and for other Purposes".After the Act passed, the Midland Railway came to an agreement with the London & North Western Railway, to run services on the LNWR line via Shap.The company applied for a Bill of Abandonment for its original plan but parliament rejected the bill on 16 April 1869 and the Midland Railway was compelled to build the Settle to Carlisle line.