Tyre crumb samples from two sources, one UK and one Spanish, were liquefied using a process derived recycle solvent (PDRS) or tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO) or a mixture of the two solvents. For PDRS, experiments were carried out at different temperatures (360, 380, 400 degrees C) and for different times (400 degrees C, 1 or 2 h). For TPO and mixed solvent systems experiments were carried out for Ih at 360 and 380 degrees C only. Dissolutions were calculated as dichloromethane solubles (DCMS) and tetrahydrofuran solubles (THFS). The DCMS material from experiments at 360 and 380 degrees C with either PDRS or TPO as solvent were subjected to hydrocracking using sulphided NiMo as catalyst. Conversions in the hydrocracking experiments were calculated by quantitative gas chromatography using biphenyl, acenapthene and fluorene as compounds to mark specific boiling point ranges. Experiments in PDRS showed effective dissolution even at the mildest of conditions. Adsorption of ails by carbon black caused problems, necessitating long filtration times and extensive extraction to remove adsorbed oil. Dissolution in TPO was lower and the appearance of retrograde reaction was apparent because of the lower H-donor content but problems with adsorption of oil were not as great, and values similar to those for PDRS were achieved when NiMo catalyst and H-2 pressure were introduced. Conversions in the hydrocracking experiments were higher for the TPO extracts, suggesting some breakdown of the TPO itself. For the experiments with PDRS and TPO mixtures, the addition of up to 25 wt.% TPO did not reduce the extent of dissolution compared with PDRS alone.