IMLEC 2026 - Full Report
IMLEC 2026 was hosted by the Sheppey Miniature Engineering & Model Society on the 7th, 8th and 9th August 2026. The track is set within Barton's Point Coastal Park between Sheerness and Minster on the Isle of Sheppey. It has a length of around 1600 ft and varying gradients up to 1 in 50.
This was the first time the society had hosted IMLEC and to say they did a great job would be an understatement. For a while it appeared the competition may not go ahead this year as the search for a host club had not been successful. However, with the help of the editor of Model Engineer & Workshop Neil Wyatt, alongside IMLEC regulars Steve Eaton and Danny Hayward, the Sheppey society stepped forward and took on the task on running IMLEC 2026. The dynomometer car used was constructed by members of the Fareham society, who offered advice and help before and during the event. With a small membership (around 20) the society put on a three day event that will be remembered in years to come and they can be very proud of their selves for what they achieved.
The weather for the event saw clear blue skies and temperatures between 25 and 30 degrees for the whole weekend. There were marques available for spectators to shelter from the sun and refreshments available each day. A food van was present over lunchtime, with many attendees taking advantage of this across the event.
Onto the competition, this year was an enticing line up that included previous winners Lionel Flippance, Steve Eaton, Glyn Winsall, Marcus Peel and 2-time and defending champion Ben Pavier. Also in the mix was the experienced David Mayall, hoping to go one better than his two 2nd place finishes at Southport (2017) and Maidstone (2021).
Locomotive gauge: 3 1/2"
Previous IMLEC entries: DEBUT
Best finish: N/A
Run No. 1
Harry Godding - Maidstone - 9F
Setting off at 11:45 on Friday was IMLEC debutant Harry Godding from Maidstone with his 3 1/2" 9F. Acquired in 2025, the loco has been rebuilt with new boiler fittings, plate work and some work done to the valve gear. Harry began his run with a load of 4 adults at a steady pace, nearing the curve at the far end of the track the train slowled slightly and a small slip was noticed as the loco worked hard to crest the 1 in 50 gradient. For lap 2 Harry got the train moving at a slightly faster pace, this time the 1 in 50 gradient was managed easily with no slipping from the loco and it's safety valves feathering. Harry continued his run with very consistent laps to finish with 13246 ft covered on 1.84 Ib of coal, this gave him a thermal efficiency of 0.62188% and set the benchmark for the other competitors to try and beat.
Run No. 2
Peter Wardropper - SMEE - GWR Hawksworth County
Peter Wardropper was back for 2026 having won the best 3 1/2" award at IMLEC 2025 with his LBSC Betty "River Darenth". Peter chose to drive his 3 1/2" GWR Hawksworth County this year. The loco was acquired by Peter 90% complete, having been started by Bill Hutchins, it is based on a LBSC design with alterations using works drawings and contemporary photographs. It was completed in 2019. Peter started his run confidently, but it was clear all was not well after just the first bend. The train came to a halt on the first straight, with Peter jumping off and looking down at the loco - the fire was dead. The loco was pushed back to the steaming bays by a disappointed looking driver. Peter might have been the first, but he would not be the last to miscalculate the transition from charcoal to coal, it would go on to catch out many competitors throughout the competition.
Locomotive gauge: 3 1/2"
Previous IMLEC entries: 3 (since 1984)
Best finish: 9th (2025) - Best 3 1/2"
Locomotive gauge: 3 1/2"
Previous IMLEC entries: DEBUT
Best finish: N/A
Run No. 3
Daniel Hamblin - Croydon - Britannia
Up next was another debutant in Daniel Hamblin. He entered his 3 1/2" Britannia built by his grandad, Richard Seaton in 1962. Daniel has restored the loco to working order over a period of 5 years, and it steamed for the first time in over 40 years in 2023.
Unfortunately Daniel encountered the same issue as Peter did in the run before him. After little more than 100m, the loco stopped and the fire was black and dead. It was turning out that the combination of some soft, quick burning charcoal for lighting up and the "slow-to-catch" property of the coal being used, was catching out the competitors already.
Run No. 4
Terry Mason - Fareham - Pansy
The third debutant to attempt to conquer the Sheppey track was Terry Mason. He entered his LBSC "Pansy", which he has owned since 1999 and completed an 18-month restoration on.
Terry made a confident start, but stopped on the 1 in 50 gradient before the curve at the far end of the track. Terry dropped two passengers off and was able to get the train moving again. For the remainder of his run Terry put in consistent laps with a lovely beat coming from the chimney of "Pansy".
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: DEBUT
Best finish: N/A
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 4 (since 2022)
Best finish: 12th (2024 and 2025)
Photo credit: Daniel Hamblin
Run No. 5
Luke Bridges - Maidstone - Polly 6
Luke Bridges was the first competitor to take 3 passenger cars, with a total load of driver, observer and 6 passengers. He was driving his 5" Polly 6, built in 2011 by himself and his Dad. The loco was overhauled and re-bushed before last year's IMLEC at Fareham.
Luke made a confident start and was able to get the train over the incline of the far curve without any slipping. However, on the second lap he had a short stop on the first straight before getting the train rolling again. Unfortunately as Luke rounded the top bend, the final passenger car derailed. This was quickly put back on the track and Luke was able to continue his run. He settled down into a good run, slowly slightly on lap 6 before completing his run.
Check out Luke's YouTube
channel "3 Railway Place" here:
Run No. 6
Chris Dore - Fareham - B1
For run number 6, Chris Dore was back competing. Last year he was at the helm organising a fantastic IMLEC 2025 at Fareham. Chris entered his B1 which has had some work done following purchase from Station Road Steam, this includes revised injector steam valves, twin mechanical lubricators, revised safety valves and balancing the weight distribution and springing. He took the largest load so far, with himself, observer and 9 passengers, there was some slipping as he entered the first curve but he was soon able to get the train rolling down the straight and build some speed up. There was a short stoppage near the steaming bays, followed by another on the traverser, but he soon had the loco rolling again each time, completing the run in fine style.
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 3 (since 2010)
Best finish: Retired
Run No. 7
Martin Weekes - Sheppey - Metre Maid
The only representative from the host society, Martin Weekes was running his 5" Metre Maid, a derivative of the very popular Sweet Pea design. Martin built the loco in 1992 and has been to many Sweet Pea Rallies with it since. The loco runs on two injectors, with no axle pump. The name "Red Rum" follows the tradition of Llanberis Quarry Locos being named after racehorses.
Martin got steam up and moved onto the track, but it was clear that all was not well. The electric blower was brought to the start line and Martin attempted to bring "Red Rum" back to life. Unfortunately that was not possible and Martin reluctantly retired before turning a wheel.
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: DEBUT
Best finish: N/A
Run No. 8
David Shepheard - Bracknell - Polly 3
David Shepeard entered his 6th IMLEC with his Polly 3, built in 2021. David set off and completed a steady first lap before stopping on the second and third lap.
Although the dynamometer car does have a speedometer between the drivers legs, this wasn't enough to save David from becoming only the second competitor in the history of IMLEC to be disqualified for speeding. David exceeded the 7mph speed limit on three occasions during the run and was informed of his disqualification when he finished.
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 5 (since 2014)
Best finish: 13th (2021)
Run No. 9
Lionel Flippance - Worthing - BR Proposed 2-8-2
The final run on Friday was supposed to be Lionel Flippance with his 6-time IMLEC winning BR Proposed 2-8-2. However, on testing whether the locomotive could negotiate the curves of the Sheppey track, it agonisingly would not make it round the final curve into the station, and therefore sadly Lionel had to withdraw from the competition.
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 13 (since 1985)
Best finish: 1st (1988, 1989, 1990, 2000, 2012, 2016 and 2018)
Run No. 9 (Reserve entry)
Andrew Crayford - New Romney - Minx
Sheppey MEMS had wisely decided to have a reserve entrant, just in case a competitor had to withdraw. Therefore Andrew Crayford from New Romeny quickly backed his car up to the steaming bays and unloaded a lovely lined-black LBSC "Minx" and set about raising steam.
Andrew set off with ease from the start line, but came to a stop at the end of the long second straight, on the incline. After dropping two passengers and with some slipping, he managed to get the train moving. He continued to lap consistently for the rest of the run and finished in 32 minutes to bring Friday's action to a close.
At the end of day one, the standings were:
1st: Terry Mason - 0.85286%
2nd: Harry Godding - 0.62188%
3rd: Luke Bridges - 0.61620%
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: DEBUT
Best finish: N/A
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 3 (since 2022)
Best finish: Retired
Run No. 10
Andy Nash - New Romney - BR Standard Class 2
Beginning the proceedings on Saturday was Andy Nash with his 5" BR Standard CLass 2. The livery takes inspiration from the Ivatt CLass 2 at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. The loco's boiler was built by Norman Spink (1972 winner) and the loco has been rebuilt by Stewart Christensen and Paul Norrington.
Andy backed the loco onto the dynamometer car and then it was clear he was struggling with the fire. 10 minutes passed in which he managed to rescue the fire and his run could begin. Andy set off with 2 passengers and enjoyed a spirited run to record his first finish in his 4th attempt at IMLEC.
Run No. 11
Graham Ashby - Maidstone - Speedy
Second on Saturday was another debutant, Graham Ashby from Maidstone with his Speedy. He purchased the loco in 2024 and subsequently rebuilt it. Speedy's have proven to be capable IMLEC locomotives over the years, picking up multiple victories with Bill Perrett in 1976 and 1977 and Jim Elliott in 1999.
Graham set off without slipping and with the safety valves feathering. He proceeded to lap consistently with his 4 passengers. I was thinking this could be a run to knock Terry Mason off the top of the leaderboard, that was until Graham appeared from around the last bend pushing his Speedy, with no sign of life coming from the locomotive, he had run out of steam 20 yards from the finish line. This was a real shame, as he was so close to finishing!
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: DEBUT
Best finish: N/A
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 1 (since 2025)
Best finish: Retired
Run No. 12
Callum Christie - Wrexham - Duchess
Callum Christie was back for another attempt at IMLEC and to put the "International" into the competition. Travelling all the way from Ireland, Callum represented the Wrexham Society for this competition. His locomotive was "Duchess of Hamilton", built by his father Finin from a Modelworks kit. Finin threw out most of the kit, as it was of a poor quality, retaining only the wheels and frames. The locomotive ran for the first time in January 2026 and visited multiple societies in England when on tour in July.
I was fortunate enough to be a passenger on this run. Callum set off with 6 passengers, himself and the observer and soon picked up speed along the first straight after the steaming bays. The Duchess made light work of the 1 in 50 gradient, a satisfying bark emanating from its chimney. Lap 1 was completed without drama and Callum continued to comfortably guide the large locomotive round the track on the 2nd lap. Come lap 3, we stopped on the 2nd straight, Callum trying to restore the boiler pressure, but sadly it was to no avail and he subsequently retired.
Afterwards Callum told me he had left the injectors on during lap 1, and that was the reason for losing boiler pressure and not being able to recover. Nevertheless, he said he had a great experience and thoroughly enjoyed his run!
Run No. 13
David Mayall - Bracknell - Speedy
David Mayall is an IMLEC veteran, having first entered in 1991 at Bristol, he was competing in his record equalling 24th IMLEC. His locomotive, the 2nd Speedy of the day, has a few revisions from the orignal design, including a smaller diameter boiler barrel, 8 less tubes and 4 radiant stainless superheaters. It has a Gordon Smith designed safety valve and Don Young modified valve gear.
Spectators were watching in anticipation as this locomotive and driver had come 2nd in two previous IMLECs (2017 and 2021). David set off with a load of 4 passengers and as we have come to expect, settled down into a clean and confident run, finishing in 29 minutes. David had a celebratory whiskey on the finish line, something of a tradition for his IMLEC runs.
Crowds gathered around the scoreboard as his result was put up and it was straight to the top, but could David remain there for the rest of the weekend?
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 23 (since 1991)
Best finish: 2nd (2017 and 2021)
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 3 (since 2022)
Best finish: 7th (2022)
Run No. 14
Glen Davies - Bracknell - Simplex
Another entrant from Bracknell was up next, Glen Davies was appearing in his 4 IMLEC, having made his debut in 2022 with his immaculately turned out Simplex "Janine". The locomotive was built over a period of 3 years and Glen has recently added a coal and water wagon to make the driving experience easier.
Glen's run was a very consistent one, averaging 5.94 mph, one of the quicker runs that we saw in the competition. He made no stops and was on top of his locomotive for the whole run and slotted into what was at the time 4th place.
Run No. 15
John Hunt - Leeds - LNER Mixed Traffic
John Hunt has been attending IMLEC for longer than I can remember, but he had never entered before, claiming he would be "far too nervous". However, for 2026 John is honouring the wishes of fellow Leeds member Geoff Midgeley who sadly passed away and wanted John to enter the locomotive in an IMLEC. It was built by Edwin Hughes, a metalwork teacher, and has been a regular runner in the Leeds Society for many years.
John started his run with 4 passengers and had the train rolling along nicely straight away. He did not stop and finished with less than 2 lb of coal burned. A very good first IMLEC run, and it now seems he has caught the "IMLEC bug" and can't wait to enter again!
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: DEBUT
Best finish: N/A
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 23 (since 1975)
Best finish: 1st (2004)
Run No. 16
Glyn Winsall - Rugby - Metro
Up next was another IMLEC veteran, having first entered in 1975, this would be Glyn's record equaling 24th IMLEC appearance. For this year, he entered his 5" Metro tank which he started construction on when aged just 14. The locomotive first entered IMLEC in 1980 at Bedford and has been seen on 4 other occasions with a best place of 5th at Leeds in 2002.
Glyn took two passengers and set off at quite a speed, getting an early warning from the observer. The diminutive little locomotive made light work of the inclines on the track, with its big driving wheels helping to keep up the momentum. Glyn lapped consistently and managed to squeeze in a extra lap just before the 30 minute mark to finish with a smile on his face.
David Mayall looked tentatively at the scoreboard as Glyn's run went up, but Glyn didn't quite do enough and he slotted into 2nd place! This now meant the two most experienced competitors in the competitions history were sitting in 1st and 2nd place, would they stay there?
Run No. 17
Roger Holland - Chesterfield - A4
Roger Holland has been a regular at IMLEC since 2013, and entered his beautiful LNER A4 "Wild Swan". Built over a 3 year period to the Michael Breeze design and completed in 2012, the 6 coupled wheels were the only casting used, everything else was machined from solid or fabricated.
Roger set off confidently, the A4 easily coping with its load, but soon after, the train came to a stop and all the passengers disembarked. The A4 was pushing back to the steaming bays, the fire dead and black. This was yet another case of the very soft charcoal burning away before the coal had a chance to catch properly, proving it could catch out even experienced IMLEC competitors such as Roger.
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 11 (since 2013)
Best finish: 6th (2014)
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: DEBUT
Best finish: N/A
Run No. 18
Ben Cox - Milton Keynes - Achilles
Ben Cox was making his first appearance at IMLEC and was at the regulator of a 5" Achilles, the first time this type of locomotive has been seen in IMLEC! The locomotive is similar to the much more common Simplex, but with a larger cylinder bore.
As Ben started his run, I caught a glimpse of the pressure gauge, and it looked to be around 30-40 psi, personally I always want to start an IMLEC run with full boiler pressure and a good 3/4 of a glass of water. It wasn't long until the Achilles stopped on the first lap, a 5 minute "blow up" ensued before Ben got the train moving again, albeit at a slow speed. He stopped again at the end of the first lap. After completing lap one another stoppage occurred on the second lap, with Ben moving away with the blower on hard to try and recover some pressure. This was to no avail and a fourth stoppage was needed on the climb to the top curve. Ben reversed and managed to clear the incline but unfortunately retired before the end of the second lap.
Run No. 19
Alisdair Croft - Leyland - A4
Back for a third attempt at IMLEC was Alasdair Croft with his A4 "Kestrel". This locomotive was built back in 1948 to works drawings and had a new tender constructed in 2024, the locomotive finished on the podium last year at Fareham, taking 3rd place, so expectations were high.
Alasdair made a good start completing the first two laps in good time but became stuck halfway round the third lap. It appeared the front bogie was on the top on a "hump" which had the effect of taking weight off the driving wheels. After a couple of minutes, Alasdair managed to get the A4 rolling again after dropping some passengers. The A4 was then spotted being pushed back to the steaming bays having retired. I heard some chatter that only 2 lb of coal was taken onboard and the A4 used it all and then ran out of steam. An unfortunate end to what was seen as one of the contenders for the title.
That left us at the end of Saturday with a top 3 of:
1st: David Mayall - 0.9480%
2nd: Glyn Winsall - 0.8828%
3rd: Terry Mason - 0.85286%
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 2 (since 2024)
Best finish: 3rd (2025)
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 21 (since 1991)
Best finish: 1st (2007, 2010, 2013 and 2024)
Run No. 20
Steve Eaton - Chesterfield - WD Britannia
Starting Sunday's running and returning to IMLEC for the 22nd time was 4-time champion Steve Eaton. He was driving his 3 1/2" "War Department" Britannia, which is Steve's version of a Britannia had it been designed and built for the War Department during WW2.
The run began with some slipping but soon the Britannia was moving along nicely and easily made it up the 1 in 50 gradient. On the second lap the front axle of the bogie derailed on the traverser, the loco was quickly put back on the track and Steve continued. However, the loco derailed again on the traverser, this time the back axle of the bogie. This occurred a third time with the whole bogie derailing and Steve decided it was better to retire than risk damage to the locomotive.
With Steve's retirement, we now knew the winner of the Best 3 1/2" locomotive, Harry Godding was the only 3 1/2" competitor to complete his run and would end up finishing in 7th place overall, a very credible performance.
Run No. 21
Simon Holland - Chesterfield - UP Switcher
Simon Holland formed part of the only Father - Son duo in this years competition. His father Roger had entered his A4 and ran the day before, with Simon taking the regulator of a Union Pacific Switcher. Built by Roger from just a basic outline and 100s of photographs of a preserved example, the loco was completed in 2016.
Simon started with some slipping before accelerating the train down the straight. However, it wasn't long before the train came to a stop, and as we have seen a few times this competition, the fire was not burning brightly! It appears Simon did not have a fully burning coal fire when he left the steaming bays, the soft charcoal burning underneath did not produce enough heat for long enough to allow the coal to catch properly, resulting in an early retirement for the impressive looking American locomotive.
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 2 (since 2024)
Best finish: 9th (2024)
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 1 (since 2025)
Best finish: 15th (2025)
Run No. 22
Tom Petch - Southampton - Simplex
Tom Petch returned for a second attempt at IMLEC after a very successful debut at Fareham last year. Driving John Lloyd's Q1 class, Tom had a fantastic debut run with no stoppages. This year he entered his own Simplex, purchased in 2024, Tom has made some modifications including Lempor exhaust system, ball valve regulator and repainted the loco into LBSCR Marsh Umber Brown.
Having seen all the previous runs on Sunday retire, Tom was determined to get a good coal fire burning, have an enjoyable run and finish. He started confidently, with no slipping and settled down into a consistent run with no stoppages, reaching the finishing line in 27 minutes, not being tempted to go for one extra lap.
Run No. 23
Marcus Peel - Southport - LMS Mogul
2019 champion Marcus Peel entered his 5" LMS Stanier Mogul, similar to No. 13268 based at the Severn Valley Railway. The loco was built by a member from Urmston and competed in IMLEC 2023 and 2025.
Marcus started with a good load and the loco pulled hard to accelerate the train. Onto the second lap and Marcus came to a halt down the first straight. 5 - 10 minutes were spent trying to recover the situation, but ultimately it led to retirement.
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 14 (since 2007)
Best finish: 1st (2019)
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: DEBUT
Best finish: N/A
Run No. 24
Derek Drover - North London - LNER L1
Run No. 25
Danny Hayward - New Romney - Rebuilt Merchant Navy
Back after a 2nd place finish at Fareham last year was Danny Hayward. But this time he was at the regulator of a 5" Rebuilt Merchant Navy "Clan Line". The locomotive was built by Tony Harmsworth in the early 2000s and has been in storage since 2005. It was built mainly from works drawings with some elements of Keith Wilson's "Ariel" design.
With the multiple retirements of locomotives with wide fireboxes, Danny was determined to not fall into the same trap. He ensured he had a good coal fire burning before entering the track and the Merchant Navy set off with a lovely beat and 5 passengers on board. Laps were consistent with the locomotive handling the load with ease. I was informed by a passenger that on the last lap Danny "opened her up" on the climb to the top curve to see what she could do, and it almost gave the passengers whiplash! This is a powerful locomotive, but unfortunately for IMLEC, quite a coal hungry one too, with Danny having to shovel 2.44 lb to keep her going.
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 4 (since 2021)
Best finish: 2nd (2025)
Run No. 26
Andy Pope - Southport - King Arthur
The penultimate run was scheduled to be Andy Pope from Southport with his 5" King Arthur "Sir Mador de la Porte". Andy purchased the locomotive in 2021 and replaced the boiler and fitted radiant superheaters. He has also fitted oil drip feeds to the axle boxes to help when running for longer periods of time.
Andy began his run, but it was clear there was an issue with the drawbar between the tender and the dynamometer car, it was causing the front of the 8-wheel bogie tender to lift up and derail. The Sheppey members were quickly on hand to assist in altering the drawbar and a re-run was scheduled for the end of the day.
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 2 (since 2021)
Best finish: 11th (2025)
Run No. 27
Ben Pavier - Southport - LNER Q5
It is IMLEC tradition that the defending champion will be the last run of the competition to see if they can retain their crown, and this year that honour fell to Ben Pavier with his LNER Q5. Based on the LBSC "Netta" design Ben has made many alterations including radiant superheaters, balanced slide valves and 1 3/4" cylinders. He has also fitted an exhaust expansion chamber and helix to remove exhaust compression. The locomotive has an impressive IMLEC career, with its results being: Retired, 6th, 6th, 3rd, 1st.
Ben opted to take 5 passengers and aimed to used as little coal as possible. He had a steady run, with considered driving to maximise the work done on a track which requires skill to maximise performance. Nearing the end of the run Ben deliberately slowed so that he could cross the finish line just after 25 minutes, not believing the fire had another lap in it, he finished with little more than 30 psi on the pressure gauge, and just pipped David Mayall to the title!
Locomotive gauge: 5"
Previous IMLEC entries: 16 (since 2005)
Best finish: 1st (2011 and 2025)
Run No. 26 (RE-RUN)
Andy Pope - Southport - King Arthur
After some quick work by Andy and the members of the host society, he was back out for a re-run and would be the final competitor of IMLEC 2026. Andy's re-run was consistent and the King Arthur looked lovely basking in the afternoon sunshine as it ran down the long straight. Andy completed his re-run to the delight of the spectators, although the King Arthur was a little hungry on the coal, consuming 2.38 lb.
Competition summary
As the competition came to a close, competitors congratulated each other before the awards ceremony, which was conducted by the editor of Model Engineer & Workshop magazine, Neil Wyatt. Each competitor was awarded a certificate for participating and prizes were awarded to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Best 3 1/2" and the special "Judith Bellamy" prize - a bottle of single malt whiskey - for finishing second to last, because as Judith says "anyone can come last".
I would personally like to thank all of the members of the Sheppey Miniature Engineering & Model Society for putting on the event and making everyone feel so welcome. We hope to see you next year at IMLEC 2027!
Ben Pavier receives the Martin Evans Challenge Trophy
David Mayall came home in 2nd place
Glyn Winsall achieved 3rd place
Best 3 1/2" locomotive went to Harry Godding
