1994

IMLEC 1994 was held on the site of a former WWII RAF airfield, now home to the Gravesend MMES. The track was commended on its smooth running by competitor , and it is unique in that the 5 in. and 3 1/2 in. are carried on 4 rails, the 3 1/2 on the inner pair, the 5 in. on the outer pair. I like the idea of this as it gives the smaller 3 1/2 in. locos a straight pull on the dynamometer car.

John Heslop was back to defend his title won the previous year at the Silver Jubilee IMLEC at Leyland, as is tradition, he was last on. John's target was the 1.477 set by Martin Parham and his Duchess. John managed to beat that score and become the sixth back-to-back IMLEC champion. Ted Joliffe gives us details of the run:

"As the next and final engine took to the track, I spared a thought for Martin Parham, who had dominated the leaderboard so far. The last run of the weekend was made by John Heslop, representing Ryedale M.E.S. and using last year's winning engine, his 5in. gauge L.M.S. tank. Choosing a total load of 15, including one youngster, John set off with a merest trace of slip. After a brief bout of slipping as he brought the load up to speed, he settled down, man and machine in harmony to reel off lap after lap at an average of just over two minutes per lap. He took no more coal, only one lot of water, ran for his full time, and again finished up as the winner. We felt for Martin as he watched the leader board change to show the new result.
There followed a brief pause in the proceedings while the results were collated and checked and certificates were printed for each driver to provide an excellent memento. Then it was over to
the prize giving."