Andrew
Skyman771 - What is wrong with advocating rail? You say its "ancient, inadequate, and underfunded network".
I'm sure that a similar comment was made early - mid 19th century when some one "the wiser" made a remark complementing the stage coach network, before the advances of the industrial revolution. Everything is relative !
If you can not see that there are not major improvements that could be made to our rail network then it would appear that you have not travelled on another rail system, even one as close as France, or been fortunate enough to travel on the Japanese intercity rail network.
Deviating back to the issue then do you really believe that the Tories would abandon R3 & that everything will be "hunk dory" up North and that the NCL master plan now has has much, if any relevance at all ?