Hitchcocks Forum

Does anyone know what font type the frame numbers were on war time WDRE 125s (Fling Fleas) or where I could find this out?

Hello LUCY D, ------ I think our hosts have a Flying Flea on display in the entrance at Chadwick End---- why not give them a phone call and ask ?? I don't think "Fonts" were thought of in those days ?? ---- my guess is that the factory would have used the general engineering Nos. & letter stamps available at the time---- but that's just a hunch.

Hi Lucy, fonts have been around for a very long time but undoubtedly the frame numbers will have been created with a metal stamp. I could not see on the web a reference to the exact stamp so could not give you a modern reference however there are a few ways of doing this. If you have the technical nouse you could photograph the existing stamp then isolate the actual characters in photoshop and save the file as a black and white jpg. Then google 'what the font' which will take you to a font recognition site. You upload your scan and it will find similar typefaces. If you cannot do that just google any font shop and do a search for 'metal stamp fonts' or similar and you should get a good steer. If I wasn't an out of work type man I could do this pretty easily for you but I do not have the technology at home. Not sure what you want the stamp for but assuming it is not for making your own frame numbers up (bit dodgy that) you can get rubber stamps made pretty cheap. Whether you can get an original metal one made is probably unlikely - I have an idea they were made by stamping the characters individually onto a printed base as opposed to a single stamp. No doubt someone will come along soon and confirm that.

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply, gents.

I'm not doing dodgies, honest! I have a damaged frame and need to get it mended and re-stamped.

I chap who is a bit of a flea wizard told me that Royal Enfield used a specific type face on their number stamps (he thought it might have been 'serrife' but googling that only finds 'sans seriffe') and that I'd need to find out what it was if I wanted it to look authentic.

There is more to this restoration game than meets the eye!

SO !! --Your'e looking for that "Stamp" of approval then ??? LoL !! Just to clarify a point of mine earlier}--- Yes, I realise that "Fonts" have been around for a long while-- eg}--my 5" gauge GWR locomotives (based on 1900 to 1930's protoptypes) have "Egyptian Serif" style lettering..I didn't think that any bike manufacturer was that particular as to the style on a number that more than likely wasn't going to be seen---hence my reference to "general engineering" stamps... But then even they must have a font style I suppose ?? Good luck with your search-------------