Editing FirstGroup (section)

===Origins and early acquisitions===
{{Multiple image|
| direction         = vertical
| image1            = Badgerline bus 5531 (EWS 739W), 2011 Bristol Vintage Bus Group open day.jpg
| alt1              = Yellow and green double-decker bus
| image2            = Preserved E131DRS Lathalmond - Flickr - megabus13601.jpg
| alt2              = Light cream and two-tone gren double-decker bus
| footer            = Preserved [[Badgerline]] and [[Grampian Regional Transport]] buses; these companies merged to form FirstBus in April 1995}}
FirstGroup originated within the [[Bus deregulation in Great Britain|deregulation of bus services]] in the United Kingdom in 1986, whereby private companies purchased nationalised and municipal bus operators.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/RP99-59/RP99-59.pdf |title = RESEARCH PAPER 99/59 |website = parliament.uk/ |date = 8 June 1999 |access-date = 25 March 2015}}</ref> During September 1986, the [[Somerset]] based services of the [[Bristol Omnibus Company]] that were rebranded in 1985 as [[Badgerline]] were purchased in a [[management buyout]]. As Badgerline Group, it expanded through acquisition purchasing other formerly nationalised bus companies in England and Wales.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.passengertransport.co.uk/2015/08/the-badger-is-back-on-the-buses/ |title = The badger is back in the West of England |date = 12 August 2015 |publisher = Passenger Transport |access-date = 3 April 2016 |archive-date = 19 April 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160419114656/http://www.passengertransport.co.uk/2015/08/the-badger-is-back-on-the-buses/ |url-status = dead }}</ref>

In January 1989, [[First Aberdeen|Grampian Regional Transport]], the bus operator in [[Aberdeen]] owned by [[Grampian|Grampian Regional Council]], was privatised in a management buyout led by its then general manager, [[Moir Lockhead]].<ref name="MoirLockhead11April2006">{{cite web |url = http://www.railwaypeople.com/rail-news-articles/andy-milne-talks-to-moir-lockhead-chief-executive-of-first-group-1030.html |title = Interview with Moir Lockhead |publisher = railwaypeople.com |date = 11 April 2006}}</ref> As [[GRT Group|GRT Bus Group]], it expanded through acquisition purchasing six former nationalised bus companies in England and Scotland.<ref name=BM648>{{cite news |title = Men in lemon celebrate First's 20 years|newspaper = [[Buses (magazine)|Buses]] |issue = 648 |date = March 2009 |publisher = [[Ian Allan Publishing]]}}</ref> During April 1995, FirstBus was formed through the merger of the Badgerline and GRT Bus Groups, with fleets in England, Wales and Scotland. The former [[King Street Barracks]] site in [[Aberdeen]] was selected as the headquarters.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/badgerline-links-with-grt-1614291.html |title = Badgerline links with GRT |work = [[The Independent]] |date = 5 April 1995}}</ref> At the time of the merger, FirstBus had 5,600 buses, 4,000 of which came from Badgerline.<ref name=BM648/><!----INADEQUATE REFERENCE: needs page no. of article-----> Badgerline's Trevor Smallwood became chairman of FirstBus, while GRT head Moir Lockhead became deputy chairman and chief executive.<ref name=BM648/>

Throughout the late 1990s, FirstBus continued its policy of growth by acquisition. To this end, it acquired several [[List of former municipal bus companies of the United Kingdom|former council owned operations]] and companies formerly owned by [[National Bus Company (UK)|English, Welsh]] and [[Scottish Bus Group|Scottish]] nationalised operators. FirstBus went on to acquire larger urban metropolitan operators by taking advantage of the [[History of the PTE bus operations#Privatisation|privatisation of the PTE bus operations]] and the [[privatisation of London bus services]]. FirstBus acquired [[GM Buses|GM Buses North]] in Manchester and [[Strathclyde Partnership for Transport|Strathclyde Buses]] in Glasgow in 1996, [[First South Yorkshire|Mainline]] in [[South Yorkshire]] and [[First London|CentreWest]] in London in 1997, and [[Capital Citybus]] in London in 1998.<ref name=BM648/>