9th Oct 1996

The remaining stub of the Highworth branch was used by scrap trains, and for traffic to the Rover Cars plant. Car body panels were conveyed from here to Longbridge, West Midlands. The loaded trains ran to the Midlands via Didcot and Oxford, to avoid the Lickey Incline, but the empty trains came via the Lickey and the Golden Valley route. Here is Railfreight Distribution's 47245 "The Institute of Export" drawing forward with its train of 21 purpose-built "High Cube" KFA bogie covered vans. The loco will run-round in Cocklebury Yard and head east towards Didcot. This is the 6M08 14.15 Swindon to Longbridge.

The Rover plants have long since closed, many of the KFAs had their bodies removed and were converted into timber wagons, but scrap traffic still uses the branch.