Meh, we are living with train lines that old and I mean old and outdated but thats what happen when you pioneer something, the Spanish are still considered a poor country in Europe, they have land to play with and money from EU, its almost impossible for us to build lines like that without having to raze areas, we simply don't have the land to do it. The main line from London to Glasgow goes through Wigan and with the M6 and villages and the existing lines, you just cant build these super tracks for the super trains.