| Electronic Sign Gallery Ferranti-Packard Electronics Ltd. Mississauga, Ontario - The Inventor of Flipdot Technology |
| Ferranti-Packard was the original inventor of magnetic flip dot and 7-segment flap displays in the 1970s. They created the displays used all over North America, from transit bus signs, station boards like the one in Union Station in downtown Toronto, Ontario, the Montreal Stock exchange's original display board, highway changeable message signs, and even the "fast money" board on the 1980s American game show "Family Feud". They produced all of them from their facility in Mississauga, Ontario, and later on operated out of a second facility in Cobourg, Ontario. The facility in Mississauga also had a 15 x 8.5 x 3.25 foot outdoor display cabinet that displayed all the various flipdot technology the company had created to date. The various display panels were powered and continuously flipped every disc or flap on each panel in an "all on/all off test pattern" format. This display always fascinated me with all the different types of dots and what they were used for. After Luminator acquired FP Electronics and closed the facility, this display cabinet was left behind. It sat derelict and shut down for many years afterwards (seen here). |
| (Including LUMINATOR LIDS and TRANSIGN/GULTON Hybrid signs) |
309060-001 (2.7)
2001, Week 32 (August 6 - 12)
Amount owed signs in locations like toll
booths & parking garages. (Single point leads
change the whole grid to each number 0-9 & blank.)
booths & parking garages. (Single point leads
change the whole grid to each number 0-9 & blank.)
| Width: 5.1cm - Height: 7.1cm Width: 2" - Height: 2 7/8" |
| Width: 5.1cm - Height: 7.1cm - Depth: 3.4cm Width: 2 5/8" - Height: 3 3/4" - Depth: 1 3/8" |
Circle: 0.9cm ~ 3/8" Diameter
| Many of the employees that used to work for the FP Electronics facility work at the company that occupies the property today. Kapsch TrafficCom IVHS manufacturers, among other things, transponders for toll highways. These people have been immensely helpful in learning more about the history of Ferranti-Packard, the displays and controllers that were manufactured, and in passing along additional displays, strips and other historical artifacts left behind at the facility after the takeover by Luminator, and saved by the employees personally. The electronic sign gallery and collection have been broken up into their individual manufacturers. Click or tap on a logo below to see the signs and controllers from each specific manufacturer in the collection. The logo outlined in green is the collection page you are currently viewing. |
| My fascination with electronic destination signs began when the Toronto Transit Commission (Toronto, Ontario) started introducing them into their bus fleet in 1991. As I started to learn more about these signs, I discovered that the company that manufactured them, FP Electronics Ltd. (Ferranti-Packard) were in nearby Mississauga. When I was a teen still in high school and before I could drive, I would bicycle about two hours one way to visit this facility. During the production of the various flipdot and other types of magnetically controlled devices, many would end up getting rejected and scrapped. I would literally dumpster dive to recover these rejected display strips so I could experiment with creating my own displays. I still own these recovered items to this day. I was also aware of the fact that the display cabinet still existed behind the old FP Electronics facility. In July 2023, I visited the new owner of the property and expressed my interest in preserving the contents of that cabinet. After several days of negotiation, we settled on an agreement and this entire physical catalogue of the displays Ferranti-Packard made are now in my possession. The various types are shown on this page, and will eventually be preserved and restored to their former glory. |
Pre Encode Module
109 916194
Unknown
Amount owed signs in locations
like parking garages, toll booths
and restaurant drive thru windows.
like parking garages, toll booths
and restaurant drive thru windows.
| Width: 2.0cm - Height: 2.7cm Width: 3/4" - Height: 1 1/16" |
| Width: 2.7cm - Height: 4.3cm - Depth: 1.6cm Width: 1 1/16" - Height: 1 11/16" - Depth: 5/8" |
Length, Outer Segments: 0.8cm ~ 5/16"
Middle: 1.3cm ~ 1/2" - Width All: 0.3cm ~ 1/8"
Middle: 1.3cm ~ 1/2" - Width All: 0.3cm ~ 1/8"
Seven Bar Dispaly, 1 Inch
Gas station price signs, outdoor
clocks on commercial properties
like banks, offices or businesses.
clocks on commercial properties
like banks, offices or businesses.
1991, Week 25 (June 17 - 23)
Vistavision Ultra Large All Fiber Optic
Vistavision Ultra Medium All Fiber Optic
Vistavision 2000 Large Fiber Optic/Flipdot Hybrid, 3 Character
Vistavision 2000 Medium Fiber Optic/Flipdot Hybrid, 3 Character
XY2 LED, 18 Inch
XY2 LED, 12 Inch
XY2, 18 Inch
XY2, 12 Inch
XY2, 8.4 Inch
XY5, .50 - 16x16 Grid (Large Discs)
.XY5, .35 - 16x16 Grid (Small Discs)
.XY5, .50 - 16x28 Grid (Large Discs)
.XY5, .35 - 16x28 Grid (Small Discs)
.XY5, .35 - 16x28 Grid, LED lit (Small Disc)
| Circle Shape: Octagon Shape: |
| 1.4cm ~ 1/2" Diameter 1.4cm ~ 1/2" Across |
Animated business billboard like for
stores and hotels. One section of a
much larger grid style display.
stores and hotels. One section of a
much larger grid style display.
Animated business billboard like for
stores and hotels. One section of a
much larger grid style display.
stores and hotels. One section of a
much larger grid style display.
Octagon: 1.4cm ~ 1/2" Across
Transit bus side destination signs,
one panel of a full 16x112 display.
(Luminator MAX3000) - No LED Lighting Strips
one panel of a full 16x112 display.
(Luminator MAX3000) - No LED Lighting Strips
Transit bus front destination signs,
one panel of a full 16x112 display.
(Luminator MAX3000) - No LED Lighting Strips
one panel of a full 16x112 display.
(Luminator MAX3000) - No LED Lighting Strips
Transit bus front destination signs,
one panel of a full 16x112 display.
(Earlier prototype, Luminator Mini MAX3000)
one panel of a full 16x112 display.
(Earlier prototype, Luminator Mini MAX3000)
Business outdoor message boards,
Mobile construction zone signs,
Highway overhead message signs.
Mobile construction zone signs,
Highway overhead message signs.
| Width: 23.1cm - Height: 33.0cm Width: 9 1/8" - Height: 13" |
| Width: 31.8cm - Height: 45.7cm - Depth: 6.8cm Width: 12 1/2" - Height: 18" - Depth: 2 3/4" |
| Circle: 4.0cm ~ 1 9/16" Diameter |
309423-001
323632-001
1998, Week 18 (April 27 - May 3)
N/A
N/A
| Business outdoor message boards, Mobile construction zone signs. |
| Width: 16.0cm - Height: 21.5cm Width: 6 5/16" - Height: 8 1/2" |
| Width: 21.4cm - Height: 31.2cm - Depth: 6.8cm Width: 8 7/16" - Height: 12 1/4" - Depth: 2 3/4" |
| Circle: 2.2cm ~ 7/8" Diameter |
310292-001
| Mobile construction zone signs, Highway overhead message signs. |
| Width: 33.0cm - Height: 45.1cm Width: 13" - Height: 17 3/4" |
| Width: 33.2cm - Height: 50.7cm - Depth: 7.4cm Width: 13 1/8" - Height: 20" - Depth: 2 15/16" |
| Circle: 5.7cm ~ 2 1/4" Diameter |
309383-xxx
1990, Week 21 (May 21 - 27)
Unknown
| Mobile construction zone signs, Highway overhead message signs. (LEDs operate on 24 volts.) |
| Width: 24.1cm - Height: 33.7cm Width: 9 1/2" - Height: 13 1/4" |
| Width: 24.4cm - Height: 45.7cm - Depth: 5.4cm Width: 9 5/8" - Height: 13 1/2" - Depth: 2 1/8" |
| Circle: 4.0cm ~ 1 9/16" Diameter |
322237-001
1990, Week 9 (Feb. 26 - March 4)
Unknown
| Mobile construction zone signs, Highway overhead message signs. (LEDs operate on 24 volts.) |
| Width: 33.0cm - Height: 45.3cm Width: 13" - Height: 17 13/16" |
| Width: 33.2cm - Height: 50.7cm - Depth: 7.3cm Width: 13 1/16" - Height: 20" - Depth: 2 15/16" |
| Circle: 5.7cm ~ 2 1/4" Diameter |
322001-001
Unknown
| Width: 24.5cm - Height: 24.5cm Width: 9 5/8" - Height: 9 5/8" |
| Width: 24.5cm - Height: 24.5cm - Depth: 6.3cm Width: 9 5/8" - Height: 9 5/8" - Depth: 2 1/2" |
318208-001
1990
| Width: 16.4cm - Height: 16.4cm Width: 6 1/2" - Height: 6 1/2" |
| Width: 16.4cm - Height: 16.4cm - Depth: 6.4cm Width: 6 1/2" - Height: 6 1/2" - Depth: 2 9/16" |
318741-xxx
1990
Octagon: 0.9cm ~ 3/8" Across
Octagon: 0.9cm ~ 3/8" Across
Octagon: 0.9cm ~ 3/8" Across
326042-006
1999, Week 5 (February 1 - 7)
| Width: 28.9cm - Height: 16.3cm Width: 11 3/8" - Height: 6 5/8" |
| Width: 29.1cm - Height: 20.4cm - Depth: 3.1cm Width: 11 7/16" - Height: 8 1/16" - Depth: 1 1/4" |
325311-106
1999, Week 33 (August 16 - 22)
| Width: 44.4cm - Height: 24.4cm Width: 17 1/2" - Height: 9 5/8" |
| Width: 44.8cm - Height: 28.6cm - Depth: 3.4cm Width: 17 5/8" - Height: 11 1/4" - Depth: 1 3/8" |
| Width: 125.3cm - Height: 45.1cm Width: 49 5/16" - Height: 17 3/4" |
| Width: 125.3cm - Height: 50.7cm - Depth: 14.0cm Width: 49 5/16" - Height: 20" - Depth: 5 1/2" |
| Highway overhead message signs. (50 watt Halogen bulbs operate on 12 volts.) |
| Highway overhead message signs. (50 Watt Halogen bulbs operate on 12 volts.) |
Driver Board
P/N: 318239-001
P/N: 318239-001
Driver Board
P/N: 318239-001
P/N: 318239-001
326042-106
1999, Week 44 (November 1 - 7)
| Width: 28.9cm - Height: 16.3cm Width: 11 3/8" - Height: 6 5/8" |
| Width: 29.1cm - Height: 20.5cm - Depth: 3.1cm Width: 11 7/16" - Height: 8 1/8" - Depth: 1 1/4" |
| Width: 22.5cm - Height: 32.2cm Width: 8 7/8" - Height: 12 11/16" |
| Width: 31.8cm - Height: 45.7cm - Depth: 7.4cm Width: 12 1/2" - Height: 18" - Depth: 2 15/16" |
Length, Sides: 13.6cm ~ 5 3/8", Mid: 11.8cm ~ 4 7/8"
Top/Bottom: 17.5cm ~ 6 7/8" - Width All: 3.8cm ~ 1 1/2"
Top/Bottom: 17.5cm ~ 6 7/8" - Width All: 3.8cm ~ 1 1/2"
Seven Bar Display, 12 Inch
Unknown (CAT#: U1201SS1075C0600)
323668-001
1998, Week 19 (May 4 - 10)
| Width: 91.4cm - Height: 33.6cm Width: 36" - Height: 13 1/4" |
| Width: 91.4cm - Height: 39.5cm - Depth: 14.0cm Width: 36" - Height: 15 9/16" - Depth: 5 1/2" |
322470-206
1998, Week 15 (April 6 - 12)
| Width: 125.1cm - Height: 50.7cm - Depth: 16.2cm Width: 49 1/4" - Height: 20" - Depth: 6 3/8" |
| Highway overhead message signs. (50 watt Halogen bulbs operate on 12 volts.) |
| Highway overhead message signs. (50 watt Halogen bulbs operate on 12 volts.) |
322415-236
1998, Week 17 (April 20 - 26)
| Width, Single: 24.4cm / All: 87.8cm - Height: 33.6cm Width, Single: 9 5/8" / All: 34 9/16" - Height: 13 1/4" |
| Width: 88.4cm - Height: 38.6cm - Depth: 15.9cm Width: 34 13/16" - Height: 15 3/16" - Depth: 6 1/4" |
| Circle: 3.9cm ~ 1 9/16" Diameter |
| Circle: 5.7cm ~ 2 1/4" Diameter |
Individual Display Board
P/N: 322410-006
P/N: 322410-006
| Width, Single: 33.3cm / All: 124.6cm - Height: 45.7cm Width, Single: 13 1/8" / All: 49 1/16" - Height: 18" |
Individual Display Board
P/N: 322430-006
P/N: 322430-006
| (The magnetic flaps that block the fiber optic lighting's visibility are inside the panel's body.) |
| (The magnetic flaps that block the fiber optic lighting's visibility are inside the panel's body.) |
| Other Preserved Ferranti-Packard Electronics Devices and Displays |
Display Board Assy: 317472-
Power Board: FP-2501 CONTROLLER ASSY.
Power Board: FP-2501 CONTROLLER ASSY.
Display Board: 1996, Week 17 (April 22 - 28)
Power Board: October, 1996
Power Board: October, 1996
Recovered from the Sunpass -
Cape Coral Bridge Toll Plaza in
Lee County, Florida (USA)
Cape Coral Bridge Toll Plaza in
Lee County, Florida (USA)
| Width: 33.4cm - Height: 18.7cm Width: 13 7/8" - Height: 7 3/8" |
| Width: 5.1cm - Height: 7.1cm - Depth: 3.4cm Width: 2 5/8" - Height: 3 3/4" - Depth: 1 3/8" |
Circle: 0.9cm ~ 3/8" Diameter
| Toll Plaza Lane Booth, Amount Owed Display |
Although the florescent green
"dayglo" colour of these discs and
flat black disc strips were the most
common, the discs and display
strips were made in a large
assortment of colours. This photo
of various discs, cutouts and the
one display strip show just some
examples that Ferranti-Packard
manufactured over the years.
"dayglo" colour of these discs and
flat black disc strips were the most
common, the discs and display
strips were made in a large
assortment of colours. This photo
of various discs, cutouts and the
one display strip show just some
examples that Ferranti-Packard
manufactured over the years.
Based off mild fading of the discs on the display, this is how it would look when idle, but showing a "1" instead of the "2". The decimal point was
printed on the backdrop. Photos of these in use were hard to find online, but from this one I did find, the top line appears to change from "TOLL"
to "PAID" by the booth operator at the same time the light changes green. Other messages may have also appeared based on the fare used.
(Cropped photo taken by Jonathan F. on Oct 7, 2017, from the "Cape Coral Bridge Rd Parkway Toll" Yelp review page.
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cape-coral-bridge-rd-parkway-toll-cape-coral?select=ICoJronH1bg0zvj1jfy7bQ)
printed on the backdrop. Photos of these in use were hard to find online, but from this one I did find, the top line appears to change from "TOLL"
to "PAID" by the booth operator at the same time the light changes green. Other messages may have also appeared based on the fare used.
(Cropped photo taken by Jonathan F. on Oct 7, 2017, from the "Cape Coral Bridge Rd Parkway Toll" Yelp review page.
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cape-coral-bridge-rd-parkway-toll-cape-coral?select=ICoJronH1bg0zvj1jfy7bQ)
