ROI Typeface 1980s

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Bryn666
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ROI Typeface 1980s

Post by Bryn666 »

https://goo.gl/maps/2bzCEL6fv4VWvxpJ6

This is a 1980s Irish direction sign - here's an interesting thing for the observant; those numerals are not from the familiar British version of Transport.

Has anyone got any idea where these originated from - better yet, where the dimensions may be found so I could potentially create a typeface using these numerals?
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Re: ROI Typeface 1980s

Post by 120km/h »

Looks to me like the digits specified in BS3693 - they are used on speed restriction signs on the railways. Its not a part of the current standard, though - so I'm not sure how accessible any construction drawings would be.
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Chris5156
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Re: ROI Typeface 1980s

Post by Chris5156 »

120km/h wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 21:10Looks to me like the digits specified in BS3693 - they are used on speed restriction signs on the railways. Its not a part of the current standard, though - so I'm not sure how accessible any construction drawings would be.
Oh wow, good spot! They looked familiar but I couldn't pinpoint it until you said this - yes, I agree, they appear to match the numerals used on many railway signs.
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Re: ROI Typeface 1980s

Post by Chris56000 »

Looks to me like the digits specified in BS3693 - they are used on speed restriction signs on the railways. Its not a part of the current standard, though - so I'm not sure how accessible any construction drawings would be.
They are also specified by Network Rail for all new and replacement signal number–plate signs! Even the ETCS L2 equipped Cambrian Lines in Wales identifies the blue/yellow block marker signs with them!

I have a (damaged!) BS3693 number stencil in my home collection and altho' the figures are close to those on the Irish signs depicted, they're not totally identical!

This stencil was originally made by the firm A. West and Partners in the 1950s as part of their "Uno Stencil" range, and the BSI adopted these figures as their "Recommendations for Lettering for Meter and Panel lettering on Electronic Equipment" in BS3693 in 1964, and of course, still charge rip–off prices for these things, some standards containing one page of actual content!

Many UK manufacturers made many items of equipment using panels and meters lettered with these figures, I have a number of pieces of test gear lettered this way!

A set of dimensioned BS3693 figure drawings can be downloaded from here free of charge :–

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... ORs7gC6D_T

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Richard_Fairhurst
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Re: ROI Typeface 1980s

Post by Richard_Fairhurst »

The Irish ones do look very slightly different though. There's a top serif to the 1, and the top and bottom halves of the 5 are left-aligned, whereas in the Indian document the top half of the 5 is further to the right.
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Re: ROI Typeface 1980s

Post by Bryn666 »

Richard_Fairhurst wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 21:04 The Irish ones do look very slightly different though. There's a top serif to the 1, and the top and bottom halves of the 5 are left-aligned, whereas in the Indian document the top half of the 5 is further to the right.
Yes, they definitely don't quite match the referenced styles - wonder if this was a handmade job by the Irish authorities at the time and if it pre-dates CAD based sign design packages then we probably won't be able to replicate it.
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Re: ROI Typeface 1980s

Post by Truvelo »

If drawings for the font aren't available then that leaves the only option of making your own from photographs of the signs. I'm sure there's enough photos of those 1980s signs around to include all the numbers and most of the alphabet. I have a few photos of the signs I've seen on my travels.
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