Adam, Scott, Craig, Phil and Ben were in a 5-piece Sheffield band called Shallow. In 1997 Phil and Craig left Sheffield to go to university leaving Adam, Scott and Ben to form Third Rail. They had a few practices, wrote some songs and advertised for a bass player. johnnie replied and joined the band. The songs weren't really working with Ben drumming so in February 1998 (at a Groop Dog Drill gig) they asked James from johnnie's other band the sTriP to join and play drums instead of Ben. The change of drummer meant that they were able to be as fast and loud as they had always wanted and a couple of months later they recorded a demo tape on a four track cassette in a practise room at Red Tape Studios and got offered their first gig. More gigs followed at Under The Boardwalk, Morrissey's Riverside, The Leadmill, Tin Pan Alley and The Farfield. Then johnnie quit and was replaced by Chas from the Stikkelbrix at the end of September 1998. After gigs at the Grapes and the Virgin Megastore Chas left in December of 1998 and was replaced by Chris. A few months and gigs went by and then in May 1999 midway through a week of recording sessions for the album "Third Rail" (at a Superfine gig) johnnie rejoined the band and Scott was forced to let Chris know his services were no longer required a few days later.

In early 2000 a website was designed by Adam and Scott with coding by Phil from Betty's Clinic.

The gigs continued regularly until 31st January 2000 when johnnie quit again and was replaced by Chas again. Third Rail continued to practise and write new songs and even started to record again in April 2000, but the band split in September 2000 when Scott moved to Leeds. Adam finished recording vocals and the "swan song" ep completed in February 2001 marks Third Rail's death.

After Scott moved to Leeds Adam and James formed a new band jc albyn complex. There has been occassional talk of a Third Rail reunion practise, but it has never happened.