Ashley prepared and painted two 1956 Maidstone & District double-deckers into their original liveries. The finish is excellent and the hand-painted work has been widely admired. His preparation is thorough, his communication is clear, and the project was handled with care from start to finish. I would gladly recommend him for heritage restoration and traditional coach painting.

Paul Baker, Cambridgeshire

We’re extremely pleased with Ashley’s preparation and repaint of our 1976 former Southern Vectis Bristol VR (NDL 652R). Once Ashley became involved, the restoration gathered momentum and the results are excellent. His care and attention to detail aligned perfectly with our philosophy, and the traditional brush painting was essential to authenticity—Southern Vectis never spray painted. Communication throughout was clear and collaborative, including the finer details along the way.

Chris & John Stewart, Essex

When it came time to repaint Devon General No. 9 in red, we knew we wanted a traditional brush-painted finish and having seen Ashley’s work, we didn’t want to attempt it ourselves.

Watching Ashley work is to watch a true craftsman at close quarters: meticulous preparation, careful application, and a finish with real depth. He uses quality materials, takes time to get the details right, and keeps you informed as the project progresses. If you’ve invested heavily in a restoration, Ashley’s coach painting is a level of finish we’d happily recommend.

Denis Chick, Birmingham

Not only is Ashley a first class coach painter where the end result is such that you really can see your face in the paint work, but his talents don’t end just there. He is not fazed by anything and possess excellent mechanical skills backed up by his ability to tackle any bodywork problems that may arise. You can tell Ashley Blackman paintwork. His paint job is the one that doesn’t display a horizontal brush line across the top of each panel.

Tony Blackman, Yorkshire

I am pleased and fortunate to have had Ashley do work on a number of my buses over recent years. Bournemouth Corporation Transport No 167 is going to Yorkshire soon for him to finish off restoration and I am totally confident it will be an excellent job one I will be proud of for many years.

Jonathan Hawkins, Devon