...now, I wonder who let the vegetation grow to cause the problems in the first place.....
Doesn't it rather depend on who let it get into the state such the vegetation could take hold
For it to have lasted for over 170 years is testament to the strength of the design. I shall doff my stovepipe hat in deference. With modern methods of fixing it, it should be good for another 20 years or so.
Prior to 1948, it was the responsibility of
GWR▸ who owned the track as well as the trains
from then until 1994, it was
British Railwaysfor the next 8 years - to 2002, it was
Railtrackand in the recent past it has been
Network RailAs I understand it, some (but perhaps not enough) people and expertise has been passed down, so that each acquiring body in turn really shouldn't have been walking in with any doubt as to what they were taking on.