Airbnb needs avoiding at all costs
A blot on the accommodation landscape and dammaging to local communities and housing markets
Good writeups
I've had some excellent Airbnb stays, I must say, with the prime example being the one I did in October 2021 when I stayed in Rainham, Essex. She was a fantastic host, made me feel really at home and relaxed, and we had plenty of conversations over a meal. It was a really beautiful place too, I could not have asked for much better! So they're not all bad!
Day 4 follows this, with the final 3 days still needing proof-reading etc.
03/11/2022 - Tech's First In His Class, Day 4
Wow, that was a good sleep! 0649 and I was awake, it had taken a while to nod off but a good 7 hours of heavy sleep was had. A shower and shave, as well as coffee and 4 biscuits (let's not talk about the food consumption in the room!) then it was a case of checking out where the 5 444s I wanted were. 444020 was not allocated, so no matter what I did then I'd not clear the class, which had always been unlikely anyway. It wasn't too long before a winner was due on the 0759 to Weymouth, so I got ready and trekked through the drizzle along rather wet surfaces to Southampton Central. I'd also seen just why I could clearly hear trains last night, room 419 literally overlooks the railway!
Sadly, Naked Coffee which I had visited on my previous visit to Southampton, was not yet open so I ended up paying silly money, £3.15, for a medium americano at Ritazza. I'd wanted the Ritazza cup nostalgia, as I used to use the outlets regularly, but it was plain white cups. Oh well, never mind! Winner 444015 rolled in and I grabbed a table seat. The weather was still not that amazing, so I didn't really know what to do for the best now. I wanted to do some exploring, that was the reason for booking that Premier Inn, but I also didn't want to do so in the rain! I might well have had a good sleep, but I was still feeling tired, but it's worth noting I usually have B vitamins and calcium amongst other things for daily supplements. I decided before the trip that this would not be required so much on this adventure, so left the tablets that dissolve in water at base. I was not regretting that decision! I had my glucosamine, iron and Omega 3 supplements with me, so that was fine, and upon leaving Bournemouth I decided that I'd seek out a new supply of B vitamins somewhere soon.
After an all-stations journey between Totton and Bournemouth, I joined winner 444016 and friend to Brockenhurst. First Class was much busier in 444016, the group opposite me included a middle class woman who was at one point bragging about a £40 upgrade on LNER just because they kept her fully loaded on wine and chicken stew. I won't comment on that, other than to say that I feel sorry for her! I was in such a rush to deal with urgent matters at Brockenhurst that I forgot to confirm the rear 444. Real Time Trains is usually pretty accurate with these things, so I accepted what it said, and logged 444003 as 444016's partner. With urgent business dealt with, it was onto winning 450041 for an all-stations journey to Bournemouth. A pair of late running 444s meant we left 8 minutes late, and with only 11 minutes between trains in Bo'mo' I was a bit tense.
The 0919 Brockenhurst to Bo'mo' was due to arrive in platform 1 you see, which in the past at least has been an unusual and not easy platform to do. Due to the delay, it was unclear as to whether it would still happen or not, but I had to at least try. The 0959 from the seaside town was due to have one of my last 3 444s to claim for haulage on it, hence the desire to do that particular run. If I didn't make it, then it wasn't the end of the world, I had options for other journeys yet. Some slack in the timetable got us from 11 late at Pokesdown for Boscombe to 8 minutes late. Platform 1, tick, not that I really do such things these days but the oddities of the network get done when it suits. Dud 444024 was up front and winner 444033 on the back, the latter is where I took a table seat in First Class. 2 more 444s to go, and only one left in action for the day. The stomach was getting angry now, so it seemed only logical to stop off in Southampton for a break.
Naked Coffee, I discovered to my disappointment, has closed down. That is a real shame, as not only did they do good coffee but they served a variety of vegan food. I was disappointed, perhaps in another location it would have done better. I went on a walkabout, as I had around 35 minutes to fill before the next GWR to Portsmouth Harbour. I was going after a winner 444 after all, and it was a nice walk with two parks taken in which was nice. Greggs got visited in the end, as Pret wanted £2.70 for coffee and no filter coffee available. I spent £3 on a large coffee and a vegan sausage roll instead, and took it with me back to Southampton Central. I still had a reasonable amount of time to wait for 166202 to Portsmouth Harbour, which would clear that line for coverage on a Turbo. I have been wanting to do that for quite some time, and now Salisbury-Southampton is all that remains of that route for Turbo coverage desires. For what it's worth, I still want Fratton to Portsmouth Harbour on a 158, having done Fratton to Cardiff Central on a 158 in October 2004 on the Brighton Class 31s forum meet. A shade over 18 years ago!
The journey was over in no time, and in the former First Class area all I could hear was the air conditioning unit! Sadly, the planned walkabout in Portsmouth got cancelled due to heavy rain. So after the urgent business, it was basically a case of being bored on the platforms keeping out of the rain! Dud 377322 took me to Fratton, where I had a short wait for winner 444012 to Portsmouth & Southsea Low Level. Just 444020 was left to clear the class, one day it will be mine! Upstairs straight away for dud 444023 on the 1145 Portsmouth Harbour-London Waterloo, as even though the rain had now stopped I was wanting to get on the move to somewhere more exciting, and certainly where more exciting motive power awaited! It was a slow journey, although nicely scenic, and my mobile signal was absolutely disgraceful all the way to Guildford. Not ideal when I wanted YouTube on!
Eventually, arrival at London Waterloo's platform 15 was at 1427, 5 minutes late. Staff availability on the barriers was poor, and I was in a queue of those with ticket issues. I took the wrong route out of Waterloo, but the walk to Blackfriars did at least involve new territory in nice weather. I landed straight onto winner 700123 for the leap to St Pancras International, and a fast walk upstairs got me sat in the First Class lounge at London Kings Cross, with coffee made, at 1458. Not too bad, could have done it a few minutes quicker if I'd not used exit 3 at Waterloo! The lounge at Kings Cross was brilliant, a huge place and good views of the platforms available. I'd spend ages planning and re-planning my afternoon, after some coffee and crisps I settled initially with the 1530 Glasgow, however this was a dud Azuma. So I went back to the 1533 to Harrogate, which was terminating at Leeds on this occasion due to a technical issue. Another re-plan then!
By Potters Bar, a cold drinks service and food orders had been taken. One of those Deli Boxes had to be taken advantage of! A hot drink was also had of course, and the journey was going beautifully until a way before Grantham, when news came in of a Person Hit By Train ahead. A shame to be delayed, a lot of delay was clearly ahead, and the reaction from some of those in coach M was to moan about how it always happens and so on. It is what it is, the way I saw it was that I was sat in a nice and comfortable seat, in the warm and with refreshments. Many, many others would not have that luxury, and of course there would be people whose lives were turned upside down by the event. 1657 and the train arrived in Grantham. 4 minutes later, we were back on the move just as I had firmed up an alternative plan!
Newark Northgate and we arrived at the platform, with doors opening several minutes later. We would go no further for now. I had looked to travel to Wakefield on this, quickly have a look at the First Class lounge before joining a CrossCountry HST to York, but of course that was all not happening. I went for a good wander about, feeling safe in the knowledge it was not likely that the train would leave too soon. I ended up in Asda and got supplies, which included a punnet of black grapes. I finally got a good serving of fruit, this week has been disgracefully bad for fruit and vegetables! Around 1830, we got going again and I'd had some good exercise, so I was quite pleased with that.
Talking of, this crew were much nicer than the one I had from Inverness yesterday, Luisa in particular was very friendly and nothing was too much bother for her. 1846 and we were stopped again a little north of Retford, but I had a tea and some crisps with the seat reclined. So I was comfortable, although I do have to wonder what I might have ended up doing if I'd gone for the pair of 387s I wanted on the 1542 London to Kings Lynn, or indeed if I'd gone and scored the 222 I wanted on the 1602 from St Pancras. If I had done the 1546 London to Beverley, as originally expected, then I'd have been sat on it without the opportunity to have a walkabout. I think I fared quite well in the end, and I noted at 1900 that the lounge I'd planned to visit in Wakefield was due to be open until 2100, so I still had time to tick it off if I desired. Or, indeed, if the 800 actually got permitted to continue!
1920 and the announcement was made to say the line was reopened, not too bad all things considered, I may not have been of that view if I'd been in Standard Class though! I was becoming quite the snobby person, that would need to change and fast. 1954 and I was off the train at Wakefield Westgate, 2 and a bit hours late. I made my way to the First Class lounge, which is tiny! They had green tea though, the first I recall seeing all week, so I got one of those and some water. Originally, the final plan for the day was to take the 2023 Bristol train to Sheffield, but double winners 801101+801109 on the Bradford Forster Square service were just too tempting! Whether or not they would actually go to Bradford, considering the issues, was to be found out before too long.
After being held for quite some time on the bank down into Leeds, the unsurprising news is revealed that the train is not going to Bradford Forster Square after all. After a bit of a look around for options, I noted 195020 which happened to be my last 195/0 to find for sight. A nice little victory! 2111 for the XC to Sheffield, so I had time for a quick walkabout in Leeds. Which I obviously took advantage of! A couple of weed smokers really stunk the air out in places on the walk, ugh! 1.1 miles was managed on a quick circular walk, and Sainsburys got a visit, leaving with just a single banana and a Nomo bar. Given it came to just 97p, I didn't bother scanning my Nectar card. The supermarket chain really annoyed me many weeks ago with bonus points offers not being correctly put on, and this was my first visit to a Sainsburys in a good while. Considering they were my favourite supermarket not long ago, this was just weird. Times were changing, and my choice of supermarket was changing with them!
220030 was all the way up on platform 12C, a bit of a trek and especially so to First Class at the back of the train! Off to Sheffield then on my final journey of the day, it was a pretty different day but definitely a productive one. Considering the circumstances, I could not have asked for much better in the second half of the day. I wouldn't do Wakefield's lounge again, it was almost pointless being there. Seriously, I've seen single bedrooms that would feel huge compared to that lounge! The one at Kings Cross, definitely one I'd go back to, no question of it. Quite, there are only LNER lounges at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Darlington and York that I haven't been too yet. One of those was likely to be done on Day 5, although which one remained to be seen!
To my surprise, I got offered some drinks on the 220, I did not expect that at such a late time of the day. I got some Schweppes lemonade cans and a small bottle of still water, that would do nicely. Not all of it was to be consumed on the journey, but they would inevitably come in handy soon enough! A look through Real Time Trains suggested the Midland Main Line had also suffered a Person Hit By Train incident, so I would have not done much better there after all. I'd noted some big delays and cancellations with Transpennine Express while at Leeds, so not a good day to be on the rails for a lot of people. Perhaps I chose wisely after all!
After a short walk and checking in at Premier Inn, as I had a bath again there was no way I was not running one! This would be my last one of the trip, so I had to make the most of it. Other than that, a nicely relaxing evening and I was looking forward to my 6am alarm!
The first of Day 4's photos have been attached, more will follow soon!
Day 5 will go up soon, I haven't got around to going through the notes properly yet. Some more photos from Day 4 are attached to this post, and given the forecast was for rubbish weather on my day off tomorrow then I expect to have the last of the trip report up tomorrow 
