Vocal Voices

En route to the rugby yesterday, I spent 15 minutes or so stationery on a Cross-City line electric train on top of a viaduct outside New Street Station while the signalmen attempted to find a platform for us. Don't believe the rumours that New Street is fully open, despite the Queen unveiling a plaque on the concourse last week, because at platform level, they are still desperately refurbishing it, and platform 12 was totally closed off yesterday.

While gazing out of the window, and trying to decipher the announcements from the guard that started with "We apologise for .." (but what they were apologising for was lost in a haze of static), my eye was drawn to the usual lengthy sprawl of urban graffiti plastered on the side of the next viaduct across. It read:

"Pera Risaduzc Bers", and yes, I wrote it down for posterity.

Now what strange message is this? What enlightenment is it meant to convey? It is not, as far as I am aware, a quote from Richard Dawkins. Nor is it a passage from Edward Lear, as there are no runcible spoons mentioned.

Is it secret message? Are MI5 working overtime to decipher it, and will Cameron announce tomorrow that yet another Islamic plot has been uncovered?

Is it a crossword clue? Is it an anagram? I can get as far as "Central European Orchard, 4-4" (i.e Pear and Serb) but the central word defeats me unless it's something vaguely to do with risible ducks.

Or is it merely that some brain-dead looney is demonstrating that he now knows his alphabet. I'm reminded of the classic Eric Morecambe quote: "I'm playing all the right notes - but not necessarily in the right order .... "

Answers on a postcard, please. Or if you're feeling acrobatic enough, on the side of a local bridge near you .....

Ossie - we saw that 2 weeks ago and wondered if it had been written by one of the workmen of European persuasion.

And as for the ticket barriers....

We'd printed our Birmingham to Nottingham tickets off online so they weren't the normal ticket size.

No problem sir/madam said the lovely lady. Just scan the bar code.

Oh wait, she said. It's not working today and promptly opened a gate for us.

Arriving back at New Street two days later.....yep. You've guessed it. Sorry sir/madam. It's not working today and promptly opened a gate for us.

I think Ally is probably right - it looks like some E European language Pera might mean "for" but otherwise I am totally flummoxed

Or maybe Risaduzc Bers is a name and it means "Risaduzc Bers woz 'ere"

Pera sounds to me like it is from a Romance language, but the 'zc' points to some sort of Slavic tongue.

The best fit was Greek "Beyond Risadozs Persia".

I think Kaz is on the right lines.

Pera in Spanish is pear.

Perhaps it's a crumble recipe?

Perhaps it says 'pears available 'ere' then

Oooh I do love a pear crumble