Passionate
We care deeply about classic buses, protecting their character, craftsmanship, and history for the next generation.
Experienced
With decades of hands-on experience restoring and preserving buses, we bring calm, informed guidance to every project.
Approach
Traditional methods first, modern tools where they genuinely add value.
Devoted
We’re devoted to heritage transport, combining focused workshop time with genuine enthusiasm for each vehicle’s story.
Relationships
We value long-term relationships with clients, suppliers, and specialists, so every project is well supported.
Ashley Blackman
About The Revivist
We work with a small number of existing clients, guiding heritage bus restoration and traditional coach painting with passion and experience, so finishes remain faithful to each vehicle’s history.
Information
About The Revivist
1st January 2021
Founded by Ashley and Kirstin Blackman, The Revivist specialises in heritage vehicle restoration and traditional coach painting, with a focus on historic buses and coaches. Our workshop is based on the outskirts of York, North Yorkshire.
We work with a small number of existing clients, guiding each project with discretion and an experienced approach so finishes remain faithful to each vehicle’s history.
Our work
The Revivist undertakes full and partial restorations, traditional coach painting, and selected supporting work where it serves the wider integrity of a vehicle. Our focus is always authenticity, with finishes that respect the era and identity of the bus or coach.
Consulting
We support museums and private collectors through project oversight for large-scale restorations. Where helpful, we can advise on documentation, presentation, and heritage-led storytelling.
How we work
Our approach is collaborative and considered. We value long-term relationships with clients, suppliers, and specialists, so every project is well supported.
Workshop capacity
The Revivist is currently at capacity and is only accepting work from existing clients already in our books.
Client Desk: hello@therevivist.com
“Very little is truly ‘too far gone’ when the goal is preserving heritage."Ashley Blackman
Experience & Reference (Pre-1980s)
We have deep working familiarity with pre-1980s buses, coaches, and trolleybuses, covering marques and models, coachbuilders, and historic operators.
Marques & models:
AEC (Regent, Regal, Renown, Bridgemaster, Reliance) · Bristol (L, K, Lodekka, VRT, RE, MW) · Leyland (Titan, Tiger, Tiger Cub/PD series, PS series, TD series, TS series) · Daimler (CV, CD, CG, Fleetline) · Bedford (OWB, OB) · Guy (Arab) · Albion · Dennis · Maudsley
Coachbuilders:
Park Royal · Roe · Weymann · ECW · Bristol · Duple · Plaxton · Northern Counties · Mann Egerton · MCW · Massey · Burlingham · East Lancs · Leyland · Strachan · Chalmers · Harrington
Historic operators:
City of Oxford Motor Services · Devon General · London Transport · East Kent · East Yorkshire · Leeds City Transport · Yorkshire Traction · Bristol Omnibus · Bristol Tramways · Brighton, Hove & District · Crosville · Brighton Corporation · Thames Valley Traction · United Automobile · Orange Brothers · Black & White · Westbury Luxury Coaches · Royal Blue · Bradford City Transport · Halifax Corporation · Bournemouth Corporation · Gash & Sons · Lincolnshire Road Car · West Yorkshire Road Car · Maidstone & District · National Bus Company
Ashley Blackman
Ashley Blackman grew up around the bus and coach preservation movement in the early 1970s. His father was a prominent collector of AEC and Leyland half-cab buses and coaches in the north of England, having bought his first preserved vehicle in 1968. With time split between Kent and Yorkshire, Ashley spent much of his childhood helping to care for a large and varied collection of classic buses.
Weekends were often spent in the workshop or travelling to rallies across the country, supporting a memorabilia and photographs stall, learning the rituals of care and maintenance, and absorbing the details that enthusiasts notice: polished wheel-nut guard rings, correct fittings, and the unmistakable soundtrack of period drivetrains.
By sixteen, it felt inevitable that Ashley would buy his own preserved vehicle: a Duple-bodied AEC Regal coach. The work that followed, collecting, maintaining, rebuilding, painting, and driving, was never simply a job; it was an extension of the life he’d grown up in.
“Being born into the hobby and helping my father with his vehicles gave me a lifelong interest in maintaining and restoring buses and coaches. From as early as I can remember, we were polishing AECs and learning what makes a vehicle feel ‘right’. The practical experience came early, from hands-on restoration work to running a garage of Routemasters in daily service, which gave me valuable experience at a young age.”
Ashley went on to restore, maintain, and coach-paint vehicles across the UK for private collectors, groups, and museums, first part-time, then full-time as demand grew. Over time, his work became known through results and word of mouth, and he later partnered with his wife and business partner, Kirstin, to found The Revivist.
Alongside workshop practice, Ashley is part of the editorial team at Bus & Coach Preservation Magazine, sharing restoration stories, industry insight, and the people behind survivor vehicles, work he values as part of keeping preservation knowledge alive. Ashley is also a Director at Oxford Bus Museum and serves on the Committee of The Routemaster Association.
The Revivist Team
The Revivist is a small workshop restoring and traditional coach painting classic buses. Our services have evolved to support existing clients with long-horizon projects, and work done at the pace it requires.
“We’re not a large restoration firm turning out many vehicles a year. We focus on medium to large-scale restorations and traditional coach painting, work that demands patience.
Kirstin works alongside me in the workshop part-time and oversees the business side. She also leads our private content and education, sharing knowledge with preservationists who want to understand the craft.
We also work with trusted specialist contractors who form an important part of our extended team.”
— Ashley
Ongoing care for existing clients
For certain long-term clients, we provide ongoing support after completion, helping vehicles stay roadworthy, properly presented, and well cared for.
“Many of our long-term clients ask us to travel to their storage location to help maintain vehicles we’ve restored. By that stage we know the vehicle well, so ongoing care makes sense, and it removes the need to return to the workshop.
Long-term support can include annual servicing, fluid changes, pre-event valeting, and preventative mechanical attention. We take real pride in caring for vehicles over the long term, helping owners when requested.”
— Kirstin
Workshop capacity
The Revivist is currently at capacity and is only accepting work from existing clients already in our books.
Client Desk: hello@therevivist.com
“Our aim is simple: give a vehicle its presence back, while staying faithful to its history.”Kirstin Blackman
