1970

Witney and West Oxford SME were hosts for the second IMLEC. The track, opened in 1960, was set in the rich green parkland of Blenheim Palace and had a length of 1/4 mile with gradients ranging from 1-200 up to 1-125 down.

The winning run was No.10, Len Labram with his GWR Small Prairie "Firefly". D. E. Lawrence tells us about the run:

"Firefly is a design by Martin Evans and who could blame him if he bore a pleased and slightly pro-prietorial air when examining Mr Labram's entry. This locomotive is about 18 months old. Mr Labram said he had built it almost to drawings, but had fitted a disc-in-a-tube regulator instead of the screw down type and had modified the lubricators. The Great Western did not bother to line out freight and secondary locomotives, but this small replica, in mid-Brunswick green, full lining and side tanks adorned with full lettering, looked very handsome indeed. It was well detailed and well finished, the riveting being particularly neat; access to the cab is not very good, but this is a feature inherent in a model of this type. It was announced that this, the 10th run, was a "works" or supporters special, al 11 persons on the train coming from the Birmingham society. Mr Labram handled his locomotive in a most able fashion, driving well and keeping up a fairly constant good speed at around 9mph. He took the long bank confidently at a run and was only slowed a little by it. There was one station stop, which appeared to be for water. The host society set up a large notice board on which was entered the result of each performance as it was known. One felt that Mr Labram's effort was going to come out near the top and, when this performance was put on the board, it was obvious at that stage, he held prior place, a position he was to keep for the rest of the long day.