logo. Some investment in new vehicles and the introduction of "quality corridors", branded as 'Diamond Service', followed. Competitive attack on city routes using double-deckers was unsuccessful against the economy of scale available to LRT, lack of route coverage to make season ticket purchases attractive, and customer loyalty. In October 1994 the GRT Group, which later became FirstBus (April 1995) then FirstGroup in December 1997, bought the company for £10.3m. In 1996, the company, now trading as First SMT, was broken up and merged into neighbouring FirstGroup subsidiaries Midland Bluebird Ltd (formerly Midland Scottish) and Lowland Omnibuses (formerly Lowland Scottish) which later merged to form First Edinburgh, trading simply as First. Eastern Scottish Omnibuses Ltd ceased trading as an independent concern. See also List of bus operators of the United Kingdom External links First Central Scotland website Eastern Scottish Omnibuses Ltd. Bibliography Barker, Harry L., SMT Buses: The Buses of Scottish Omnibuses Ltd and Eastern Scottish (Bus Enthusiast Publishing, 2004). Brown, Stewart J., Advancing in a Forward Direction: The Vehicle Purchases of the Scottish Bus Group (Fawndoon Books, 2016). Burnett, John, Eastern Scottish (Turntable Publications, 1980). Hunter, D. L. G., From SMT to Eastern Scottish: An 80th Anniversary Story (John Donald, 1987). Defunct companies of Scotland Former bus operators in Scotland Transport in Edinburgh Transport in West Lothian Transport in Midlothian Transport in East Lothian