Signalling company K2 Rail branches out with training centre

A railway signalling company has celebrated the opening of a new training and conference room at its Suffolk headquarters.

K2 Rail, which moved into its current home in Little Blakenham, near Ipswich, in August last year, was launched in 2012 by Kriston Abbott and Karl Brackenbury, who have more than 40 years’ combined experience of working in the rail industry.

The company undertakes a wide range of signalling works, including news installations, maintenance, renewals and testing, with its clients having included Network Rail, Transport for London and Bombardier Transportation.

K2 has also been requested to provide training for a number of clients and it was an approach from Bombardier which prompted the company to invest in the training and conference facility.

Mr Brackenbury said that, rather than having to use other venues around the country, the company would now be able to bring in trainers to deliver learning at its own premises, which would be more cost effective.

The new facility was officially opened at a ceremony on Saturday, performed by Steven Williscroft of Bombardier Transportation UK.

Mr Brackenbury has been in the rail industry for more than 30 years, having started out as a guard before moving into signal engineering in 1996.

Mr Abbott has a background in electronic engineering and moved into rail signal engineering in 2001.