24 replies to this topic

[starseeker]

I certainly do miss them,these really are iconic fireworks ,i think is the simple artwork,(cannon crasher,mighty atom etc).Even though you knew that they were not powerful it was still one heluva buzz to have some.

If i wanted a proper bang,i would buy a few strings of rook scarers which i think were made by standard but these were flashed based with a pic fuse which we would pull out for a longer delay,happy days

[pyrogeoff]

I loved the bangers and miss them, i Often wish i could travel back in time to the 50s or 60s and revisit the traditional GFNS of old. I like most people in those days tested, various makes of Bangers, Brocks, Standard, Pains, Astra, Wells, Wizard. I always thought the Brock Bangers were good,but allso Wells did excellent bangers,and indeed all there fireworks, were very good,they were always available in my area,as the factory was in the next town.

[spectrum]

I loved the bangers and miss them, i Often wish i could travel back in time to the 50s or 60s and revisit the traditional GFNS of old. I like most people in those days tested, various makes of Bangers, Brocks, Standard, Pains, Astra, Wells, Wizard. I always thought the Brock Bangers were good,but allso Wells did excellent bangers,and indeed all there fireworks, were very good,they were always available in my area,as the factory was in the next town.

Hi Geoff,

Were the Wells bangers blackpowder based and were they bigger than the competition?

Why were they better?

[pyrogeoff]

Hi Geoff,

Were the Wells bangers blackpowder based and were they bigger than the competition?

Why were they better?

Hi Spectrum I am fairly certain that they had flash in those days but not 100% sure. I always thought that the quality of manufacture of wells was very consistant,i dont remember any phuts or failures,which you occasionally got with others. They were roughly about the same size as other manufactures. I think there are many opinions about who made the best or loudest bangers,all such a long time ago,over 45years,but have fond memories.

[Peret]

Hi Spectrum I am fairly certain that they had flash in those days but not 100% sure. I always thought that the quality of manufacture of wells was very consistant,i dont remember any phuts or failures,which you occasionally got with others. They were roughly about the same size as other manufactures. I think there are many opinions about who made the best or loudest bangers,all such a long time ago,over 45years,but have fond memories.

I don't remember ever seeing flash in a banger - and I used to open a lot of them. They all contained 2FG black powder. Rook scarers, on the other hand... Year-round availability, awesome bangs, and quite a lot (WELL over 50mg) of a mysterious grey powder inside, fine as corn flour. I used to be able to buy two kinds, one made by Astra (I think) and the other by Standard, both about 30 shillings a gross (12 ropes) but the shops would happily sell me one rope at a time for half a crown. The rope and paper of course was removed and discarded. The Astras were a 3/8 tube 4 inches long and had a nice thick black match fuse that burned for about six seconds like the fuse on dynamite in a Western, and was a very satisfying sight when thrown. Standard were short and fat, the shape of a Sparklets cartridge but a little smaller. They also had a black match fuse but it was almost instantaneous, and gave me a horrible surprise the first time I lit one. Luckily I wasn't holding it. The Standards were quite a bit louder than the Astras. They made good headers for small rockets.

The last time I saw these was about 20 years ago in a shop window in Stratford upon Avon. I pointed them out to my wife, who immediately entered the shop and came out with a nostalgia present for me. What a woman.

[The Legendary Graham]

Of course i miss them what can i throw at my mates now?. Can i get away with saying that they were great fun for messing with its only when things got louder and more powerful that things got out of hand and the nuisance kicked in.

[johnheritage]

I miss them, a bit, but I understand why the powers that be didn't like them.

I liked the way they looked like mini sticks of dynamite. I used to do open cast mining in the back garden, trying to dig holes with them.

But then, out at the local bonfire & fireworks display, someone threw one right next to me. Yeah, probably not that dangerous and kind of funny, but also not a great idea either. Particularly with lots of 5 years and below around, who's eyes are much closer to the floor (in the pitch black, that could have ended up in a pram). Saying that, the worst firework related incident in our family was my little brother grabbing hold of the wrong end of a burning sparkler, which is something on the ad's now I think; how sparklers are actually a problem because they look so safe compared to display fireworks, but are white hot.

I seem to remember quite a few people had burnt hands from trying to hold onto bangers and then throw them just before they exploded. Cue, hands in bags full of saline at hospital and blisters that look like pillow cases.

I used to be on hobbicast when I was about 11-16, the at home metal casting yahoo group. A lot of the guys on there are at least 40 and some of them are lot older. One guy used to be able to buy sticks of actual dynamite as a kid in the south of the US. He was saying how they had shotguns lying all around the place, how he could just walk into the barn and pick one up. But only pussies took guns to fights so no one did. Ah, the olden days.

The last 'bang' firework I bought was something called a Thunder mine, or Air bomb. Can't remember. They just shot a pellet about 20m up. I'm guessing it was full of some kind of flash powder because the bang was almighty for the size.

Size isn't always a great thing, particularly with fireworks. I've seen those ?42/48"? shells on youtube. One or two would be great for the end, but waiting 3 minutes for it and then it being just lots of showers that disappear in a few seconds isn't that impressive.

Edited by johnheritage, 30 September 2010 - 02:36 AM.

[phildunford]

Remeber any of these?

[wjames]

I couldn't agree more.

i miss them very much indeed. So much so that i make my own each and every year.


there are a few people in france AND the usa who will happily send you any firecrackers you need. It is however, rather illegal, and so i can't suggest doing it.

[HASTINGS]

i miss them very much indeed. So much so that i make my own each and every year.


there are a few people in france AND the usa who will happily send you any firecrackers you need. It is however, rather illegal, and so i can't suggest doing it.