h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Ever since I was a youth, those cars you see driving around (or more often propped up on bricks) on council estates with doors all different colours and one wing finished in primer were known as Skem cars. This despite the fact I grew up 30 miles away in Manchester. Give a dog a bad name...

Oh well it's nice to know so many people have heard of Skem, maybe I should advise my brother not to go to Uni in Manchester though!

Course I've heard of Skem - I've lived in the Manchester area 40 years - it's not far away. Although I've rarely had cause to visit. It's better than Runcorn, though.

No reason your brother shouldn't go to Uni in Manchester, though. Just tell him not to bring one of those multicoloured cars - there's plenty of trains from Wigan Wallgate!

Hmm - marketing slogan for Skelmersdale Council - "Come to Skelmersdale! It's better than Runcorn!"

Yes but one of the great advantages of coming to University in Birmingham is that No has heard of Skelmersdale, so no one assumes that you're thick/stupid/violent etc..!

About Skem and Runcorn I lived at the former from 1966 to 1987 and have lived in Runcorn since. You don,t get trapped in traffic constantly on a bridge like you do in Runcorn, Skem is a nicer place to live, not polluted and as for the maharisha clan I was friends with a few of them so called Middle class people and they were ok. I,d move back tomorrow and I,m seriously considering so. As for multi coloured cars well, when scrap yards are far away and spares are available locally on every street corner you use what you got.