RTS- cabbed AEC wrecker at Joe Sykes yard. 1984.
This cut-down AEC Mammoth Major 8 would have been able to tell many a story, for it had towed many many vehicles on their final trip to the scrapyard!
It was new to the London Brick Company and was fitted with the streamilned Road Transport Services (RTS) cab, a feature of which was the "suicide" doors which opened backwards. Not to be opened whilst the vehicle was travelling forward.....as I was to discover whilst driving a Mercury with a similarly equipped Duramin cab!!
The Paul Sykes Organisation who were at one time a major player in the UK bus disposal industry had converted this lorry and used it for many years. When that business changed (and ultimately closed) another member of the Sykes family, Joe, inherited this lorry and an ex-Tunnel Cement Mercury and used them in connection with his business of bus and coach re-sale and scrapping based in Boulder Bridge Lane Carlton Barnsley.
I do not know what became of these vehicles, most redundant /superseeded Barnsley breakers' towing lorries just ended up as part of a yard's scrap pile!
Joe sykes business was subsequently taken-over by Alan Hardwick who continues to trade from the same site to this day.Apparently Mr Sykes went on to enjoy a life of retirement in Romania where he owns a number of properties. Paul Sykes went on to become a major contributor to the Conservative Party until they had a difference of opinion.
RTS- cabbed AEC wrecker at Joe Sykes yard. 1984.
This cut-down AEC Mammoth Major 8 would have been able to tell many a story, for it had towed many many vehicles on their final trip to the scrapyard!
It was new to the London Brick Company and was fitted with the streamilned Road Transport Services (RTS) cab, a feature of which was the "suicide" doors which opened backwards. Not to be opened whilst the vehicle was travelling forward.....as I was to discover whilst driving a Mercury with a similarly equipped Duramin cab!!
The Paul Sykes Organisation who were at one time a major player in the UK bus disposal industry had converted this lorry and used it for many years. When that business changed (and ultimately closed) another member of the Sykes family, Joe, inherited this lorry and an ex-Tunnel Cement Mercury and used them in connection with his business of bus and coach re-sale and scrapping based in Boulder Bridge Lane Carlton Barnsley.
I do not know what became of these vehicles, most redundant /superseeded Barnsley breakers' towing lorries just ended up as part of a yard's scrap pile!
Joe sykes business was subsequently taken-over by Alan Hardwick who continues to trade from the same site to this day.Apparently Mr Sykes went on to enjoy a life of retirement in Romania where he owns a number of properties. Paul Sykes went on to become a major contributor to the Conservative Party until they had a difference of opinion.