Old and New Railways

In 1898 a branch line was opened which connected Plymouth with the village of Yealmpton in South Devon. It  was closed to passengers in 1930, but then again briefly reopened to passengers during the Blitz to carry people from central plymouth seeking the greater security of the outlying areas. A passenger service continued then until 1947 and the line was finally closed to goods traffic in 1960. The structure shown here is part of a bridge which once crossed the River Yealm at Brixton. Considering its age and its position next to the river, the brickwork has survived remarkably well. A tribute to the victorian engineers and construction workers who built it. 
I didn't think about it at the time, but the last couple of days I have been thinking about the poor planning which has plagued the ill-fated HS2. High speed railways are fine for places which are suited to their construction and use, but what I think many people would rather see is a clean and reliable service which runs on time, is not grossly overcrowded and is adequately staffed.