We moved to Abingdon in April 1976, almost 46 years ago now, so still newcomers. When we moved here the old GWR Abingdon branch line was still in use for freight, passenger workings had ceased some years before. Apart from the occasional coal delivery to the coal merchant who still occupied the old sidings area, the only freight was the car transporter trains taking the new MGs to the docks for export. The MGs were brought from the factory, on the other side of town, by road car transporter. They were then driven off of those and straight onto the car trains. If I remember correctly, the trains were hauled by Class 31 diesels in BR blue livery. This traffic went on pretty much up until the time the MG factory closed. A sad loss for the town of Abingdon and the Nation as a whole. With the loss of the MG car transportation, there was no further use for the branch line and it was lifted.
David