BLACK Country-based waterways photographer Kev Maslin is determined that the current water crisis will not curtail his activities any time soon. He has been busy on our waterways taking images for his next calendar, which features familiar locations up and down the country.
“I really feel for boaters and, in particular, waterside businesses that rely on a consistent turnover of waterborne customers to make their living. We don’t know how long this will continue, but the typical good old British weather needs to kick in sharpish,” he said.
Kev, who specialises in capturing historic narrowboats, travels the country in search of images to include in a calendar he has produced since 2017.
“The 2026 edition is already available, but with the next one marking the 10th anniversary of this popular publication, I’d like it to be something extra special,” he continued.
“Fortunately, I have a large library of usable pictures, but I always like to make the contents as current and fresh as possible.”
The 2026 Historic Narrow Boats calendar features 14 colourful craft (including two pairs) in 12 unique locations on 10 individual waterways. The Shropshire Union and Grand Union canals appear twice. Each boat has its own background story, including the Feĺlows, Morton & Clayton motor on the front cover, which was originally built at Saltley in 1904 as horse boat Germany. It was re-registered and renamed England at the outbreak of the First World War as it was considered inappropriate for it to be named after the enemy.
The 2026 calendar comes in double A4, which folds out to A3, and a slimline version which is very useful where space is at a premium. “One of the historic boat owners suggested the slimline version to me because they hadn’t got space to hang the larger calendar in their small back cabin,” explained Kev, who lives in Tipton.
Order the double A4 at www.canalshop.co.uk and the slimline version at
chasingtheboats.sumupstore.com. You will also spot it in selected canalside outlets, including the Boat Shop at Braunston Bottom Lock.
