Racers’ eyes are on the prize

inaugural Milton of Campsie Bogie Race, which takes place next month.

Beechtree Park, in Milton of Campsie, will be the venue for the competition on Sunday, June 21, from noon-5pm.

Racers will take turns to plummet down a hill in their homemade karts, with the fastest to take the chequered flag declared the champion for 2015.

It’s being organised by volunteers from the project to rejuvenate the former Milton of Campsie Railway Station.

One of the organisers told the Herald: “The race entry numbers are growing and growing and the great news is that the local Scotmid are sponsoring the race and putting up a hamper and trophy as the prize.

“If anybody would like to find out more about building a bogie please contact the bogie race Facebook page where you can enter your bogie. You can even turn up on the day with your bogie.

“It will be a timed event and bogies will travel down the hill individually – the fastest timed bogie walks away with the prize.”

It’s all part of a wider event to celebrate the transformation of the station from eyesore to community asset, since an army of volunteers descended onto the station last year for the first in a series of ‘improvement days’.

At the station itself there will more attractions as part of the family fun day.

Already confirmed for the event are a free bouncy castle, an ice cream stall (free for the first 200 children) and free rickshaw rides around the park and station provided by Evolution Rickshaws.

There will also be music from Andrew Greig’s Band and local musician Stuart Malcolm. For a more active afternoon, the football pitch at Beechtree Park will be the venue for family games - meet up with Sharon and Jackson Taylor at 3pm to take part.

Everybody who comes along is encouraged to bring their own picnic to enjoy on platform one throughout the day.

And plenty of local organisations are getting involved by booking up stands - including Billington’s Deli, Kirkintilloch Men’s Sheds, Positive Alternatives, Sustrans, the Milton of Campsie Community Gym and Scotmid. Others are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks. For more information about the bogey race, go to www.facebook.com/thebogierace?fref=ts