The railway company was unwilling to sell, and did nothing until the initial nine-month period had passed. When a notice was served under the terms of the Act, which required them to sell the canals, they attempted to obstruct the new company by taking legal action against them. In 1891, the courts found in favour of the canal company, but negotiations dragged on. Meanwhile, negotiations had also taken place with the Aire and Calder, and an agreement had been reached to connect the two systems together by a canal, so that the improved Don could use Goole for the export of coal, rather than having to develop Keadby. By 1893, agreement had been reached as to what the railway company was selling, and a price of £1.14 million had been fixed, of which £600,000 was to be paid in cash. The rest could be paid in shares in the new company, which would give the railway places on the board unless the canal company bought all of the shares back. This was enshrined in a new Act of Parliament obtained on 31 July 1893, but the clause about railway representation meant that the Aire and Calder declined to purchase any shares, and the company struggled to raise the capital.