Category: Not So Grumpy Old Men

April saw 12 Not So Grumpy Old Men return to channel their inner Botham in an indoor cricket contest.

The rules of engagement were explained (more than once!) to the players, led by Team Captains Ian Murray and Dave Kay. Dave’s team batted first, each player facing the onslaught of 2 overs of exceptional bowling where accuracy, both of length and width, seemed to be unimportant. As wickets started to fall, one player scored 4’s and 6’s and another fell into his own wicket! Ian’s team took to the crease, and one player needed a runner which led to confusion and hilarity when 2 batsmen ended up in the same place.

With the rules now at least partially understood, the teams squared up for a second game. Amongst cries of “‘ow is ‘e” and “leg before wicket” the honours ended even with both captains claiming a game.

Fortunately for the standing of international cricket there were no scouts from the England selectors to identify the raw talent on display. Thanks to John Beharall for organising.

Treize vieux grincheux jouent à la pétanque.

So we assembled with not a beret or Gauloise between us, (well Tony had a Woodbine!) in the early morning mist at Ravenshead Petanque Club ready to learn the finer points of the game we’ve probably all played on the beach.

On the specially prepared gravel terrain were marked out several pistes or lanes. We played in pairs, each player having three boules. The starting player stands in a small cercle, laid on the ground, feet close together. Indeed this is where the game gets its name from pieds tanqués, “feet planted” (on the ground), a name that eventually evolved into the game’s current name, pétanque. The jack or cochonnet is thrown between four and six metres and the thrower then throws their boule attempting to nestle close by. The opposition then have a turn and if they fail to get closer continue to throw their boules until they are nearest. Then the turn changes. When all twelve boules have been thrown the score is agreed and added to the team score. Mènes, or ends continue until one team has scored thirteen points. Time allowed for all of us to play several completed games. Indeed, the success of the visit could be judged by the fact that the last four had to be dragged from the piste, before they went into overtime.

Thanks need to be accorded to the good folks at Ravenshead Petanque Club for making us so welcome and to our organiser and coach Monsieur Christophe le Garnier.

Bob McEwen

Visit to the Sherwood Observatory and Planetarium

In late October a group of twenty-two ‘Grumpies’ were allowed out later than usual to visit the new Planetarium at Coxmoor Road, Sutton in Ashfield. In 1969 an advert in the Mansfield Chad brought together a group interested in astronomy and a few years later an observatory, with a 24” reflecting telescope was constructed on the present site. The planetarium and science centre itself is a much newer addition, opening in November 2024 after being funded by the local council and the Levelling Up Fund, to the tune of £5.3 million. The planetarium is built on top of a disused Victorian reservoir next to the original observatory. 

Our first stop was to view the moon through the main telescope – it was almost within touching distance! It’s an impressive building and piece of kit, built and maintained by volunteers. Indeed, the whole enterprise is staffed by volunteers who give freely of their time to explain their interest and enthusiasm for studying the night sky to less educated folks, like the Grumpies.

Next stop was the planetarium for a film show about the amazing sights to be seen through telescopes and from space exploration. An overhead half-dome screen 30’+ across immerses the viewer in space. Added to very comfy tilting chairs the whole experience is quite awe inspiring and calming. So much so that the Grumpies set a record for having a whole row of viewers fast asleep!

Sherwood is the first observatory to be built for ten years in this country and one of very few with public access. It is an amazing asset to have on our doorstep, and a visit is highly recommended.

Thanks go to John Berrill for organising.

Bob McEwen

In early October seventeen Not So Grumpy Old Men visited the Newark Air Museum, probably the most impressive private aviation museum in the UK.

The static display outside includes the iconic Vulcan bomber, the Hastings transport aircraft, crucial to the Berlin airlift and the maritime reconnaissance giant, the Shackleton – shown in the picture. There are two indoor exhibition halls, containing a variety of jet and piston engined airframes, with a special emphasis on RAF training types over the years, used to train fast jet and multi engined pilots, navigators, bomb aimers et al. In addition there are numerous airframes from the US, French, Polish and Swedish air forces.

By special dispensation Grumpies had the opportunity to get in the cockpits of numerous aircraft types, both large and small (I’m talking airframes not Grumpies!)

The museum is open all year and has a plethora of aviation related material, both historical and contemporary. If you haven’t visited, it’s well worth considering making the effort. I’m sure you will not be disappointed.

Bob McEwen

In September, following the cheering up of some Grumpy Old Men, 26 of the combined Not So Grumpy Old Men Group visited the Hucknall Flight Test Museum, a venue many of them visited under its Rolls Royce Heritage banner 6 years before, but now expanded and improved.

Rolls Royce transformed aviation by innovative engineering solutions and designs and shaped the path of the modern jet engine, claiming many world firsts along the way.

After an introductory talk about the origins of the museum and how acquiring grade II listed status ensured at least a small part of the Rolls Royce site was not “developed” into housing, we were treated to guided talks on the world-leading testing facilities, the evolution (over a surprisingly short timeframe) of aero engine design and manufacture and an incredible collection of hand-built scale models of over 30 aircraft.

Many of the group were ex-Rolls Royce employees and the museum volunteers were keen to try to get them back to work!

Enthralled by the talks and exhibits, it was difficult to drag ourselves away for the post-visit lunch at the Nabb Inn.

Mark Jackson