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43-790: New Hall Valley Country Park is a country park located in New Hall Valley between Walmley , Wylde Green and Pype Hayes in the Sutton Coldfield area of north Birmingham . It is the first new country park in the UK for over a decade. The park is split into "phases". It was created in 2005 by Birmingham City Council with funding raised from the release of land for the New Hall Manor Estate development and formally opened on 29 August 2005. The park covers over 160 acres (0.6 km) of designated green belt land to

86-403: A car park, toilets, maybe a cafe or kiosk, paths and trails, and some information for visitors. Some have much more, with museums, visitor centres, educational facilities, historic buildings, farms, boating, fishing, and other attractions. Many larger country parks organise entertainment for visitors, and are venues for firework displays, shows and fairs and other large, outdoor events. There

129-412: A center cluster of non-moving stars, normally of a contrasting color or effect. Inserts that propel themselves rapidly away from the shell burst, often resembling fish swimming away. Named for the shape of its break, this shell features heavy long-burning tailed stars that only travel a short distance from the shell burst before free-falling to the ground. Also known as a waterfall shell. Sometimes there

172-566: A closer proximity to the audience. Some larger Roman candles contain small shells (bombettes) rather than stars. A mine (a.k.a. pot à feu) is a firework that expels stars and/or other garnitures into the sky. Shot from a mortar like a shell, a mine consists of a canister with the lift charge on the bottom with the effects placed on top. Mines can project small reports, serpents, and small shells, as well as just stars. Although mines up to 12 inches (305 mm) diameter appear on occasion, they are usually 3–5 inches (76–127 mm) in diameter. A cake

215-480: A country park is to provide a place that has a natural, rural atmosphere for visitors who do not necessarily want to go out into the wider countryside. Visitors can enjoy a public open space with an informal atmosphere, as opposed to a formal park as might be found in an urban area. For this reason country parks are usually found close to or on the edge of built-up areas, and rarely in the wider countryside. A country park usually has some more formal facilities, such as

258-424: A crackling sound. Tiny tube fireworks that are ejected into the air spinning with such force that they shred their outer coating, in doing so they whizz and hum. High pitched often very loud screaming and screeching created by the resonance of gas. This is caused by a very fast strobing (on/off burning stage) of the fuel. The rapid bursts of gas from the fuel vibrate the air many hundreds of times per second causing

301-537: A few. Others are simply quantities of 2.5–4 in (64–102 mm) shells fused together in single-shot tubes. A shell containing several large stars that travel a short distance before breaking apart into smaller stars, creating a crisscrossing grid-like effect. Strictly speaking, a crossette star should split into four pieces which fly off symmetrically, making a cross. Once limited to silver or gold effects, colored crossettes such as red, green, or white are now very common. A spherical break of colored stars, similar to

344-648: A fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices in an outdoor setting. Such displays are the focal point of many cultural and religious celebrations , though mismanagement could lead to fireworks accidents . Fireworks take many forms to produce four primary effects: noise, light, smoke, and floating materials ( confetti most notably). They may be designed to burn with colored flames and sparks including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and silver. They are generally classified by where they perform, either 'ground' or 'aerial'. Aerial fireworks may have their own propulsion ( skyrocket ) or be shot into

387-506: A fuse. They also strung these firecrackers together into large clusters, known as bian (lit. "whip") or bianpao (lit. "whip cannon"), so the firecrackers could be set off one by one in close sequence. By the 12th and possibly the 11th century, the term baozhang (爆仗) was used to specifically refer to gunpowder firecrackers. The first usage of the term was in the Dreams of the Glories of

430-440: A larger payload of flash powder, but ball shapes are common and cheaper as well. Salutes are also called Maroons . A shell containing a fast burning tailed or charcoal star that is burst very hard so that the stars travel in a straight and flat trajectory before slightly falling and burning out. This appears in the sky as a series of radial lines much like the legs of a spider. An effect created by large, slow-burning stars within

473-541: A new type of firework and they are not completely silent. "Silent firework displays" refers to displays which simply exclude large, spectacular, noisy fireworks and make greater use of smaller, quieter devices. The earliest fireworks came from China during the Song dynasty (960–1279). Fireworks were used to accompany many festivities. In China, pyrotechnicians were respected for their knowledge of complex techniques in creating fireworks and mounting firework displays. During

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516-507: A peony, but with stars that leave a visible trail of sparks. Essentially the same as a peony shell, but with fewer and larger stars. These stars travel a longer-than-usual distance from the shell break before burning out. For instance, if a 3 in (76 mm) peony shell is made with a star size designed for a 6 in (152 mm) shell, it is then considered a dahlia. Some dahlia shells are cylindrical rather than spherical to allow for larger stars. A type of chrysanthemum or peony, with

559-516: A ring. Variations include smiley faces, hearts, and clovers. A shell intended to produce a loud report rather than a visual effect. Salute shells usually contain flash powder , producing a quick flash followed by a very loud report resembling military artillery. Titanium may be added to the flash powder mix to produce a cloud of bright sparks around the flash. Salutes are commonly used in large quantities during finales to create intense noise and brightness. They are often cylindrical in shape to allow for

602-806: A rocket-propelled firework called a dilaoshu (地老鼠; lit. "earth rat") went off near the Empress Dowager Gong Sheng and startled her during a feast held in her honor by her son Emperor Lizong of Song (r. 1224–1264). This type of firework was one of the earliest examples of rocket propulsion. Around 1280, a Syrian named Hasan al-Rammah wrote of rockets, fireworks, and other incendiaries, using terms that suggested he derived his knowledge from Chinese sources, such as his references to fireworks as "Chinese flowers". Colored fireworks were developed from earlier (possibly Han dynasty or soon thereafter) Chinese application of chemical substances to create colored smoke and fire. Such application appears in

645-423: A shell that leave a trail of large glittering sparks behind and make a sizzling noise. The "time" refers to the fact that these stars burn away gradually, as opposed to the standard brocade "rain" effect where a large amount of glitter material is released at once. A willow is similar to a chrysanthemum, but with long-burning silver or gold stars that produce a soft, dome-shaped weeping willow-like effect. Farfalle

688-418: A thick rising tail that displays as the shell ascends, thereby simulating the tree trunk to further enhance the "palm tree" effect. One might also see a burst of color inside the palm burst (given by a small insert shell) to simulate coconuts. A spherical break of colored stars that burn without a tail effect. The peony is the most commonly seen shell type. A shell with stars specially arranged so as to create

731-503: A violet emission. Subsequent developments revealed that oxidations with the chlorates of barium, strontium, copper, and sodium result in intense emission of bright colors. The isolation of metallic magnesium and aluminium marked another breakthrough as these metals burn with an intense silvery light. Colors in fireworks are usually generated by pyrotechnic stars —usually just called stars —which produce intense light when ignited. Stars contain four basic types of ingredients. Some of

774-953: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Country park In the United Kingdom, the term country park has a specific meaning. There are around 250 designated country parks in England and Wales attracting some 57 million visitors a year, and another 40 or so in Scotland. Most country parks were designated in the 1970s, under the Countryside Act 1968 , with the support of the former Countryside Commission . In more recent times there has been no specific financial support for country parks directly and fewer have been designated. Most parks are managed by local authorities, although other organisations and private individuals can also run them. The 1968 Countryside Act empowered

817-445: Is a cluster of individual tubes linked by fuse that fires a series of aerial effects. Tube diameters can range in size from 1 ⁄ 4 –4 inches (6.4–101.6 mm), and a single cake can have more than 1,000 shots. The variety of effects within individual cakes is often such that they defy descriptive titles and are instead given cryptic names such as "Bermuda Triangle", "Pyro Glyphics", "Waco Wakeup", and "Poisonous Spider", to name

860-408: Is a glittering through the "waterfall". Kamuro is a Japanese word meaning "boys haircut", which is what this shell resembles when fully exploded in the air. It is a dense burst of glittering silver or gold stars which leave a heavy glitter trail and shine bright in the night's sky. A large shell containing several smaller shells of various sizes and types. The initial burst scatters the shells across

903-465: Is an effect in Italian fireworks with spinning silver sprays in the air. A tourbillion is similar to a farfalle but has spinning stars. The bang is the most common effect in fireworks and sounds like artillery cannon being fired; technically a "report". Silent fireworks have all of the visual effects, however. The "salute" effect is even more pronounced and sometimes is banned. The firework produces

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946-587: Is certain that the variety of colours which the Chinese have the secret of giving to flame is the greatest mystery of their fireworks." Similarly, the English geographer Sir John Barrow (ca. 1797) wrote "The diversity of colours indeed with which the Chinese have the secret of cloathing fire seems to be the chief merit of their pyrotechny." Fireworks were produced in Europe by the 14th century, becoming popular by

989-430: Is crossed by Wylde Green Road, which links Walmley and Wylde Green at either end. This road was crossed by a ford until around 1967. Coopers Wood, the ancient woodland in the park, is under threat of being destroyed due to concerns that its trees, which are Crack Willow , may fall onto people using the paths that have been driven through them. You can access the park: This West Midlands location article

1032-616: Is explained by light emission from an incandescent solid particle in contrast to the element-specific emission from the vapor phase of a flame. Light emitted from a solid particle is defined by black-body radiation . Low boiling metals can form sparks with an intensively colored glowing shell surrounding the basic particle. This is caused by vapor phase combustion of the metal. Lithium (medium red) Li 2 CO 3 ( lithium carbonate ) LiCl ( lithium chloride ) Rubidium (violet-red) RbNO 3 ( rubidium nitrate ) The brightest stars, often called Mag Stars , are fueled by aluminium . Magnesium

1075-454: Is not necessarily any public right of access to country parks, and visitors are usually subject to byelaws when they enter the park. Some charge for car parking, some are free. These parks vary tremendously from one to another, and really have only their purpose in common: to provide easy access to the countryside for those living in the towns and suburbs . They do not necessarily have any great nature conservation interest, although often this

1118-455: Is open to the public on certain days or by prior arrangement. Bishop Walsh Catholic School borders the land, with the school's playing fields running adjacent for nearly 1.5 miles. The park also includes a network of cycle routes and footpaths ( 52°33′03″N 1°48′25″W  /  52.550930°N 1.806816°W  / 52.550930; -1.806816 , a plant nursery, a nature conservation site and two play areas for children. The park

1161-453: Is rarely used in the fireworks industry due to its lack of ability to form a protective oxide layer. Often an alloy of both metals called magnalium is used. Many of the chemicals used in the manufacture of fireworks are non-toxic, while many more have some degree of toxicity, can cause skin sensitivity, or exist in dust form and are thereby inhalation hazards. Still others are poisons if directly ingested or inhaled. The following table lists

1204-540: Is the backbone of today's commercial aerial display, and a smaller version for consumer use is known as the festival ball in the United States. Fireworks were originally invented in China . China remains the largest manufacturer and exporter of fireworks in the world. 'Silent' fireworks displays are becoming popular due to concerns that noise effects traumatize pets, wildlife, and some humans. However, these are not

1247-452: Is the case. In Hong Kong a large part of the territory's countryside is officially designated as country parks. Most of these are reservoir watersheds, serving the dual purpose of providing recreational facilities and contributing to Hong Kong's water supply. Firework Fireworks are low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called

1290-530: The Huolongjing (14th century) and Wubeizhi (preface of 1621, printed 1628), which describes recipes, several of which used low-nitrate gunpowder, to create military signal smokes with various colors. In the Wubei Huolongjing (武備火龍經; Ming , completed after 1628), two formulas appears for firework-like signals, the sanzhangju (三丈菊) and baizhanglian (百丈蓮), that produces silver sparkles in

1333-579: The Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD), people threw bamboo stems into a fire to produce an explosion with a loud sound. In later times, gunpowder packed into small containers was used to mimic the sounds of burning bamboo. Exploding bamboo stems and gunpowder firecrackers were interchangeably known as baozhu (爆竹) or baogan (爆竿). During the Song dynasty, people manufactured the first firecrackers comprising tubes made from rolled sheets of paper containing gunpowder and

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1376-775: The 17th century. Lev Izmailov, ambassador of Peter the Great , once reported from China: "They make such fireworks that no one in Europe has ever seen." In 1758, the Jesuit missionary Pierre Nicolas le Chéron d'Incarville , living in Beijing , wrote about the methods and composition of Chinese fireworks to the Paris Academy of Sciences , which published the account five years later. Amédée-François Frézier published his revised work Traité des feux d'artice pour le spectacle (Treatise on Fireworks) in 1747 (originally 1706), covering

1419-587: The Countryside Commission to recognize country parks. Although the Act established country parks and gave guidance on the core facilities and services they should provide it did not empower the designation of sites as country parks, as it was left to local authorities to decide whether to endorse a site calling itself a country park. In England, country parks can be accredited by Natural England , and some also have Green Flag status. The purpose of

1462-635: The Eastern Capital (東京夢華錄; about 1148) by Meng Yuanlao. During the Song dynasty, common folk could purchase fireworks such as firecrackers from market vendors. Grand displays of fireworks were also known to be held. In 1110, according to the Dreams of the Glories of the Eastern Capital , a large fireworks display mounted by the military was held to entertain Emperor Huizong of Song (r. 1100–1125). The Qidong Yeyu (齊東野語; 1264) states that

1505-439: The air by a mortar ( aerial shell ). Most fireworks consist of a paper or pasteboard tube or casing filled with the combustible material, often pyrotechnic stars . A number of these tubes or cases may be combined so as to make when kindled, a great variety of sparkling shapes, often variously colored. A skyrocket is a common form of firework, although the first skyrockets were used in warfare . The aerial shell, however,

1548-487: The familiar whistling sound. It is not, as is commonly thought, made in the conventional way that musical instruments are using specific tube shapes or apertures. Common whistle fuels contain benzoate or salicylate compounds and a suitable oxidizer such as potassium perchlorate. Improper use of fireworks is dangerous, both to the person operating them (risks of burns and wounds ) and to bystanders; in addition, they may start fires on landing. To prevent fireworks accidents ,

1591-439: The more common color-producing compounds are tabulated here. The color of a compound in a firework will be the same as its color in a flame test (shown at right). Not all compounds that produce a colored flame are appropriate for coloring fireworks, however. Ideal colorants will produce a pure, intense color when present in moderate concentration. The color of sparks is limited to red/orange, yellow/gold and white/silver. This

1634-481: The principal elements used in modern pyrotechnics. Some elements are used in their elemental form such as particles of titanium, aluminium, iron, zirconium, and magnesium. These elements burn in the presence of air (O2) or oxidants (perchlorate, chlorate). Most elements in pyrotechnics are in the form of salts. A Roman candle is a long tube containing several large stars which fire at a regular interval. These are commonly arranged in fan shapes or crisscrossing shapes, at

1677-594: The recreational and ceremonial uses of fireworks, rather than their military uses. Music for the Royal Fireworks was composed by George Frideric Handel in 1749 to celebrate the Peace treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle , which had been declared the previous year. "Prior to the nineteenth century and the advent of modern chemistry they [fireworks] must have been relatively dull and unexciting." Bertholet in 1786 discovered that oxidations with potassium chlorate resulted in

1720-498: The sky before they explode. Also called a bouquet shell. When a shell contains smaller shells of the same size and type, the effect is usually referred to as "Thousands". Very large bouquet shells (up to 48 inches [1,219 mm]) are frequently used in Japan . A shell containing a relatively few large comet stars arranged in such a way as to burst with large arms or tendrils, producing a palm tree-like effect. Proper palm shells feature

1763-548: The smoke. In the Huoxilüe (火戲略; 1753) by Zhao Xuemin (趙學敏), there are several recipes with low-nitrate gunpowder and other chemical substances to tint flames and smoke. These included, for instance, arsenical sulphide for yellow, copper acetate (verdigris) for green, lead carbonate for lilac-white, and mercurous chloride (calomel) for white. The Chinese pyrotechnics were described by the French author Antoine Caillot (1818): "It

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1806-572: The south east of Sutton Park , including ancient woodland , historic wetland grazing meadows, former farmland , and part of Plants Brook . It borders on a number of privately owned listed buildings including the 17th century Grade II listed New Hall Mill , a corn mill . This is one of only two working water mills surviving in Birmingham water mills in Birmingham, with the other being Sarehole Mill in Hall Green . It has been restored and

1849-411: The use of fireworks is legally restricted in many countries. In such countries, display fireworks are restricted for use by professionals; smaller consumer versions may or may not be available to the public. Birds and animals, both domestic and wild, can be frightened by their noise, leading to them running away, often into danger, or hurting themselves on fences or in other ways in an attempt to escape

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