Brief Overview
IMLEC returned to Bristol for 1991 and alongside the main IMLEC competition, there was an efficiency competition for 7 1/4 in. gauge locomotives on the society's ground level track. This year there was no Lionel Flippance (although he still attended), so the favourite going into the competition was the previous years runner up, Kevan Ayling, looking for his maiden title. The Bristol dynamometer car was used until future IMLEC champion Brian Remnant got his Sweet Pea into a pitching motion and derailed. The Bristol car suffered severe damage and was replaced by the Birmingham car for the rest of the weekend. Unfortunatly Brian's excursion of track was not the only one, a loose wheel on the bogie of Larry Loughborough's GWR "King" caused it to pitch of the track.
The favourite for the title came away with the Martin Evans Challenge Trophy, Kevan Ayling taking his BR Proposed 2-8-2 "Octavian" to victory. Although there was a light shower during the run, it didn't effect Kevan's run that much. He ran with the blower and one injector on most of the run, had a fastest lap of 1 minute 44 seconds with a brief stop on lap 3. Total laps completed was 12 for a well deserved win.
Interesting Facts
The BR Proposed 2-8-2 design had now won 4 IMLECs in a row.
Three generations of the Collyer family entered the competition, Mike, Trevor and Andrew. Trevor took the honours with 6th place, his father Mike in 15th place, with Trevor's son Andrew in 24th place.
This was the final IMLEC for experienced campaigner Larry Loughborough and 1974 Champion Fred Winsall