Looks like you had a great walk. I have yet to been on a steam train, I have been on a coal train. I agree with you about older trains there is something special about them. Same with the older bridges. It would be great if they found a way to preserve the wood to give certain areas the rustic feel. In this case, safety is most definitely first.
The final footprint and your comment are spot on.
Fun walk we do regularly, changes on the beach happening all the time.
Railways with steam were a wonderful way of travel, electric or diesel locomotives don't have the same feel. The old wooden sleepers were taken a used into furniture by many, some cut them into smaller pieces to make clocks and ornamental works being solid old steel wood.