2012

IMLEC 2012 was held at the Nottingham SMEE track for the first time. In the time between IMLEC 2011 and IMLEC 2012 Diane Carney (then assistant editor of ME) organised a meeting to evaluate the competition rules and provide guidelines in any grey areas. Present at the meeting were IMLEC "Legends" Alan Crossfield, Lionel Flippance and Steve Eaton alongside Pete Thomas (Nottingham SMEE representative).

The competition saw Lionel Flippance return to the top step of the podium with his BR Proposed 2-8-2 "George Evensis" after his disappointing (still 2nd place!) showing at Bournemouth in 2010. Lionel triumphed for the 5th time, extending his record over Percy Wood, John Heslop and Les Pritchard (all 3 time champions). It was also a record highest ever efficiency in IMLEC - 4.98%.

Diane Carney shares the details of Lionel's record breaking run:
". . . LionelFlippance from Worthing with what has become a legendary locomotive, now 22 years old. This is a model of Robert Riddles' proposed 2-8-2 based on the Class 7MT, Britannia - the locomotive that never was. Weighing about 400 lbs, this engine was built to compete . . . and so it did. Lionel had been studying the 'form' for two days and with an eye on the good, dry track he requested 21 passengers making 23 adults in total. He was ready to go but even this engine couldn't quite lift the train. (The start line is certainly on a level bit of track but with a train this length the back is most definitely going up hill.) One passenger was set down and that was enough to allow the to make a start. Off they went, round the climbing curves then quickly reappeared on the far side for the long, very gentle down gradient. The locomotive was cruising, almost in mid link, but with a breath of steam it must have made a fairly continuous, if fluctuating, drawbar pull. After 31 minutes running in which they completed 8 laps, averaging a speed of 6.75 mph, the average drawbar pull was recorded as 72.09 lbs. (second only to a large, 5 inch gauge narrow gauge locomotive) and the efficiency was calculated at 4.98 percent. Was this a record? (Yes it was Diane, and still is as of 2022! G. Winsall)."

Lionel has entered this locomotive into efficiency competitions on ten occasions
(including OMLEC) and won in all but two ( IMLEC 2004 - beaten by Glyn Winsall and his Thompson O1. IMLEC 2010 - beaten by Steve Eaton and his Britannia "Rough Diamond"). This proves that it isn't unbeatable - but it takes an exceptional combination of driver and engine to defeat them. Second place on this day was a massive 2.32% further back, a truly dominant display from a legendary locomotive and driver.