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21th July 1972, Page 39
21th July 1972
Page 39
Page 39, 21th July 1972 — meet
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Keywords : Paul Sykes, Bus, E85

Paul Sykes

• Former motor mechanic and excavator driver 28-year-old Paul Sykes who started a business in Wakefield and Barnsley eight years ago on a capital of £170 has changed the name of his firm, which deals in used British buses, for home and world markets, to the Paul Sykes Organisation. He has taken its turnover to close on £200,000 a year in that time.

It is a remarkable achievement and Paul attributes it to his 21-year-old brother Alan. "He keeps telling me to push on," says Paul. "We now have three depots covering 161 acres." The organization now deals with more than 2000 buses a year purchased largely from the four PTEs. Paul not only sells doubleand single-deck vehicles but also exports their engines and spare parts.

In the past year the exports side of the business has boomed. Soon two single-deck buses from Halifax will be setting off to Pakistan to start life again as intercity express coaches. In Australia a fleet of 14 former SELNEC PTE buses carry passengers in and around Perth. Now the USA hauliers have become customers — they use the .double-decker to show guests around local beauty spots.

Paul Sykes bought his first bus for E85, dismantled it and sold the parts. Now he claims to have the only company in Britain which buys fleets of buses, carrying out repairs and dismantling if necessary, and resells them. Bought in bulk by tender, the buses cost between £100 and £200. Far East purchasers say the British buses are a good buy even though they have the cost of converting to right-hand drive in addition to the transport costs.

Paul, a down-to-earth Yorkshireman, told me, "Apart from £1,200 on my mortgage I don't .owe anyone a penny" — his new show premises cost more than £20,000.

A married man with two children he lives in Barnsley and his hobbies are water skiing and boxing. He flew to Miami to see the Frazier-Muhammad Ali world title fight and, business allowing, expects to go back to see

the return when it takes place. G.C.


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