Triple X steams ahead of the alternatives. McVeigh Parker were approached to offer a long-lasting fence that could deal with the challenges of restricted access, timescale and longevity. Following the success with The Swanage railway, who erected the Clipex line wire system and the many Network Rail sites nationally, the Kent and Sussex railway chose to replace and repair their railway perimeter fence with Triple X fencing consisting of Clipex all steel fence system and X fence wire netting.

Kent and Sussex Railway is an historic railway and as such there is a need to retain as many original features as possible. The implications come with the latest legislation and health and safety regulations, couple these with the fact that being a steam railway the trackside vegetation was susceptible to fires. Concrete posts were too heavy and costly to reinstall, timber was dismissed as a consideration for obvious reasons, this left Clipex which surpassed all their expectations.

Project Challenge                           

Kent & Sussex Railway had to renew their old existing fencing which consisted mainly of traditional heavy concrete posts and line wire. The remit was to provide a stock proof fence both sides of the track, remove the old existing fence, cut back vegetation and reinstall new where required, use old concrete if firm.

The issue was the inaccessibility for both materials and machines trackside, the contractors were limited to only working within the land owned by the railway, this required all materials to be delivered by train and with no access for tractors everything had to be manhandled over the four mile stretch.

The solution

A 30+ year fence that was quick and easy to erect with minimal maintenance. Clipex all steel quick clip posts with premium X fence wire netting and high tensile 2.0mm barbed wire, strained using StaYfast strainers. Posts were driven in using the handheld petrol post driver.

Fence type: X fence Livestock fencing XHT8-80-15

Specification: Two 2.0mm high tensile barbed wire lines

Quantity: 4000m

Site: Kent

Soil type: Weald clay and Greensand

Terrain type: Fairly level

Intermediates: Clipex Standards 1.8m long/10 clip every other post

Intermediates: Clipex Beefy’s 2.0m long/10 clip every other post

Spacing: 5m centres

Strainers: StaYfast all steel strainers

Spacing: 150m

Wire: 2.0mm High Tensile BS hot dip galvanised barbed wire

Desired service life: Guaranteed for 30 years

Labour: Three persons

Timescale: Two weeks

Machinery used: Chain strainer/ clamps, Petrol driver, chain saw, petrol post hole auger.

Contractor P.M.Tassell Fencing comments:  “ For a contractor there is not a better product on the market, its lightweight, yet strong and durable. The heaviest part of the job is the wire, ideally you could use a wire dispenser but that was not a consideration on this project. We still managed to erect the fence by hand in the timescale whilst still conforming to all the health and safety restrictions. Having installed over 40 Clipex projects over the last two years we are now very proficient in its erection and would recommend to any landowner, especially young farmers that would age with the fence, still standing.”