The first section of the Great Northern Railway (GNR) - that from to a junction with the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway at Grimsby - opened on 1 March 1848, but the southern section of the main line, between and , was not opened until August 1850.
The Sandy and Potton Railway was opened for goods traffic on 23 June 1857, and to passengers on 9 November 1857.