The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway sought to expand northwards and formed an alliance with the Scottish Central Railway, and submitted a Parliamentary Bill for the 1846 session for a "Stirling and Dunfermline Railway". As well as opening up a considerable area of agricultural land, the line would give the E&GR access to areas of mineral extraction along the line of route, and beyond Dunfermline as well. Coal was the dominant mineral, but some blackband ironstone was being extracted and limestone was being fired on the northern shore of the Forth. A Special Meeting of E&GR shareholders was held on 12 May 1846 to give approval to the merger and the promotion of the Stirling and Dunfermline line. A 35-year lease contract had been agreed, paying 4% rent on the construction cost of the S&D after 35% of receipts for operating expenses.