NEILSTON Bowling Club celebrated 100 years of top sporting action and friendship with the community in 2003.

The club marked the historic milestone as it played host to 48 bowlers from rail depots all over Scotland for the annual Corkerhill Challenge Cup.

Club president Harry Mackie welcomed everyone — and especially the 12 teams taking part — before the games got under way.

Neilston Bowling Club opened only a few months after the Neilston High Railway Station on July 17, 1903. Both have been central institutions and have survived countless highs and lows. In 1932-33, the club lost members, when new greens opened at Kirktonfield and Crofthead. But the club survived through both wars and in 1971 a new 130-seat dance hall was added to the premises.

In 2003 the bowling club modernised its clubhouse and was honoured by a Civic Reception from Provost Betty Cunningham and Councillor Danny Devlin, along with the president and directors of the club. The joint centenaries came together for a day of bowling between Scots railway depots as both institutions looked forward to another century. 

The 12 teams who took part were Corkerhill Depot, Shields Depot, Queen Street, Glasgow Central, Caledonia Chambers, ScotRail, Haymarket Depot, Virgin Trains, GNER, First Engineering, Staff Association and Health and Safety. 

Haymarket, with members Donald Thomson, Willie Scott, Jack Ingram and John Watt took the top spot. Runners-up were Bob Watt, Callum Forrester, Ian Gardiner and Andy Gilmour of the Staff Association. Steve Daily presented the trophies.