HS2’s been on the national radar for years now – an ambitious yet controversial high speed rail project linking London and Birmingham with more reliable, faster and frequent train services. And whilst it’s easy to focus on the new stations and high-speed trains, the work that makes it all possible is happening in places most people never see, by a supply chain spanning multiple business sectors, right across the UK.
At Lochrin Bain, we’ve been part of the HS2 story for a number of years now, starting with temporary fencing for the protection of work sites right across the route. But since then, things have moved on. We’re now involved in a much more permanent way, helping to secure this strategic investment in Britain’s future.
From Temporary to Permanent HS2 Security Fencing
As mentioned, things have moved on significantly since we started supplying temporary fencing for the project. We’re delighted to be currently manufacturing and supplying a permanent fencing system, built specifically for HS2. This new permanent fencing system is manufactured to a spec that was developed by HS2’s own security team – tailored for the level of protection that a nationally strategic project like this demands.
Right now, we’re producing tens of thousands of metres of it. That scale brings pressure, no doubt about it, but fortunately we’re set up for this type of work. It’s not our first time on a major job, and we’ve built our production systems around being able to handle these kinds of volumes without cutting corners. Our experience in helping to secure the nations railways is playing a key part in the company been able to meet the demands that HS2 brings.
More Options Means Fewer Headaches for Utility Providers
As HS2 progresses, it’s not just the railway that needs protection. Utility companies (including power, telecoms and water) are going to need fencing as well. This is where Lochrin Bain can offer a wide range of fencing products in addition to the HS2 specification. In fact, we offer the largest selection of palisade specifications available in the UK, which is proving to be a real advantage on a project this varied.
We’ve already got the systems in place, the products approved, and the supply chains moving, so it makes perfect sense for providers to tap into this. Need HS2-compliant security fencing for a substation near the route? We’ve got it. Need something bespoke for a site that’s a bit out of the ordinary? We can do that too!
Every site’s different. Some are close to public footpaths, car parks and stations, whilst some are in open countryside. Whatever the scenario and type of fencing required, we can usually match this straight from our existing security rated fencing range, or we can tweak things slightly to fit a bespoke specification.
We’ve positioned ourselves to be a useful partner here – not just to HS2 directly, but to all the other firms who now need to work alongside it. All this means that utility providers and other contractors aren’t chasing multiple suppliers or waiting on imports. They come to us, tell us what they need, and we sort it. It’s as simple as that.
We’re Set Up for What Comes Next
With the project still evolving, more ground being broken and more phases getting underway, the demands will keep changing – new stretches of railway requiring the HS2 fencing spec, new stations requiring perimeter fencing, utilities requiring protection from unauthorised access, you name it.
Fortunately, Lochrin Bain has the knowledge, the experience, the people, and the capacity to deliver security fencing solutions for a wide range of uses up and down the HS2 route. And more importantly, we’ve got the mindset for it – our team doesn’t wait around, we get moving, we figure it out, and we deliver at scale.
So, whether it’s fencing for a mainline section, or a forgotten stretch of land next to a power installation, we’ll keep showing up and securing what matters, together.
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