Text Box: John Watts concentrated on passenger transport principally in South Wales where his pioneering spirit was instrumental in forming companies which were to become the Red and White Bus Company, the largest operating out of the Principality. In 1938, Arthur began tyre retreading, bringing Watts Tyre division into existence. In 1953, Watts Tyre & Rubber Co ltd was formed. Watts began manufacturing industrial tyres in 1961 and are now one of the largest suppliers of solid industrial tyres and wheels in the world.   Opening Watts Truck Centre 1961 left to right: Melville Watts (current President of the Watts Group), Arthur Watts, Sir Henry Spurrier (late Chairman of Leyland Motors Ltd) Text Box: During the 1920’s and early 30’s, Watts were involved in developing engines cheaper to run than petrol. One initiative was to run engines on vaporising oil as in the Fordson tractors they sold. They, at one stage, were offered, £4000 for the rights and patents of this work. Turning their attention to help pioneer the diesel engine, much experimental work was undertaken leading to patents being taken out and collaboration work with Leyland Motors and Albion. In the early thirties, Watts was busy converting petrol driven lorries to the Gardner diesel power. In 1935, it became the sole Gardner dealer for Wales and the South West of England, an association that lasted sixty years. Arthur became involved in boiler making. Initially developing a conversion to existing boilers to achieve increased performance, in 1935 Watts then went into developing and manufacturing their own gravity fed boiler and stockers. In 1950, the factory in Lydney were producing one thousand boilers a year. During the next ten years, sales rose gradually until the business was sold to Allied Ironfounders in 1960.