It was built by the Contractors, James Bray, who had been appointed by the Leeds & Thirsk Railway on 26 April 1846 to build the Pannal section between Weeton and Starbeck. This was opened on 13 September 1848, when the section of line between Weeton and Ripon via Starbeck commenced operation from Starbeck only as a single line until at least February 1849 (the other line was used to convey Contractors materials for building the line south of Weeton), and services throughout to Leeds commenced on 9 July 1849.