Bridge Cues

[Jim Magee]

I won't say where it is, as WaynieD will probably rush off and buy it , but do Bridge cues have a reasonable reputation?

cheers, Jim

[Cue crafty]

Never heard of them. Quick Google and nada returns..... 🤔

[DeanH]

Anthony Bridge Ltd, Ashton-under-Lyne
A retailer with a range of own named cues from the 80s/90s, advertised a lot but not much else, except for one reader-letter (May 1997) mentioning a Daily Express test of six "leading" makes of cues and Bridge came out on top. the other makes are not mentioned.

[Jim Magee]

DeanH Thanks - the range has quite cool names like “the highwayman” and the “pirate”, which I appreciate is absolutely the last thing you should take into account with a cue, but wondered if they were thought of as reasonable cues back in the day....

[DeanH]

range names
1987~
Raider
Bandit
Outlaw
Buccaneer
Pirate

1989~
Nomad
Fugitive
Rogue

1990~
Renegade

1994 on their advert they say "Our Bridge Cues were voted 9th best in Europe" but does not say who by.
two new names:
Executioner
Dominator


1997 prices
Raider £12.80
Rebel £12.80
Fugitive £20.00
Bandit £23.20
Outlaw £24.80
Renegade £28.80
Bandit £31.20
Executioner £220

for example they were also selling lots of other makes:

Aeon - £56-159
Craftsman - £36-88
CeuCraft - £60-140

[Jim Magee]

Cheers, that’s really useful. The Highwayman and the Pirate had gone by the wayside by 97 then...

[DeanH]

Cheers, that’s really useful. The Highwayman and the Pirate had gone by the wayside by 97 then...

No mention of Highwayman anywhere.
Pirate not mentioned on the price list I found.


As to your question "thought of as reasonable". well their prices are the cheapest on their own price list
I am sure many other makes they stock are much more, so they are a "cheap" brand.
Two mentioned of reviews but no mention of who did the review or what makes in the survey.
(Not going to pay Daily Express for subscription to their archive )

[Cue crafty]

You've made me want one now!! I simply have to have the Executioner!!! 🤣🤣

[Cue crafty]

First one I've ever seen so thought I'd post it up. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125767525...Condition=3000

[cueman]

That's a blast from the past. I remember seeing ads in pot black magazine for Bridge cues, I was contemplating buying one back in the day but chose Parris instead. I think I requested a price list and brochure as I remember the models and names that Dean posted earlier. They were good cues, probably up there with craftsman and Lewis and Wilson.

[Sparkywilk68]

Are the bridge raider cues worth buying and what's a good price, the one I'm looking at has no splicing in,just plain wood

[Reclaimer]

Hello , regarding Bridge cues my one and only cue is a Bridge Raider , still straight , looks good and plays well ,no reason to change it anytime soon , had since 80’s
regards Mark

[AlexWelch]

Do you know where to buy a good bridge raider signal?

getting over it

[Jim Magee]

AlexWelch - there's one on ebay now: Raider Snooker Cue Bridge Of England | eBay

[Anthony Bridge]

I have only just been shown reference to my company's cue range on your forum. I'm pleased that a few of my cues are still being used. I'm further pleased by the complimentary things said about my cues which has urged me to say thank you to all who have posted good reviews of my ranges.

I was involved in three stages of snooker, firstly, I started selling snooker products in the late 70's, secondly, in the early 80's I managed several players and and travelled round the country with them in their tournaments and the exhibitions we gained through my adverts in the snooker magazines., thirdly, from 1992 to 2005 I was a professional snooker player and although not much good I rose from a ranking of in the 900's to 150 in the Embassy World Rankings, but this was due to me entering all tournaments and gaining points and positions over those who only entered a few tournaments a later ranking system put me in a more realistic position in the 300's.

I have written several articles about my life in snooker and about a year or so Snooker Scene kindly printed a brief history of my involvement. I closed down my business after 34 years and ended it on 31st December 1999, a good date to go, never to be regretted. I did not sell my business, as the assets, investments, money owing to us and the value of the stock was as high as what the business was worth and it allowed my to be an agent for former customers to import for them. This became hard work as it gained momentum so I gave this "agency" to my best customer, sadly, a year later, the pound and the Chinese currency made imports almost none profitable.

I later gave after dinner talks about players I met etc. and also introduced some of my former customers to the manufacturers of the products I sold other than cues. This gave me the excuse to travel to Taiwan, Hong Kong and China. After five years of this I finally distanced myself from snooker. Recently, after some Italians read my "Life in Snooker" articles, I was asked to help to get Italian snooker more widely recognised which I'm still doing my best to progress their presence.

If any one has any questions about Anthony Bridge Ltd or myself, I'd be please to answer.

All the best

Anthony Bridge