Welcome to the Chideock and Seatown Community Website. This website belongs to ‘the community’ and is all about Chideock, North Chideock and Seatown. We hope these pages will be of interest to both local residents and visitors to our village.
Chideock is an amazingly busy village with lots of groups that anyone can join and lots of entertainment and events that are happening so please take your time to look through our website – not forgetting our stunning Photo Galleries.
If you are a visitor to this beautiful part of West Dorset please check out our Accommodation Guide.
- ST GILES CHURCH CHRISTMAS CAROLS 22ND DECEMBER IN THE VILLAGE HALL
Come and join us for a wonderful celebration of Christmas carols on the 22nd December at 6.pm at the Chideock Village Hall. Sadly, we will not have a choir this year, but we would encourage everyone to add their voices to this annual village event. The Friends of St. Giles will be providing mince pies, christmas biscuits and scones, tea, coffee and delicious mulled wine (non alcoholic) to oil those tender voices after so much singing. A collection will be taken for a Christmas charity. We look forward to seeing you.
Continue reading → - Christmas engineering work affecting South Western Railway services
Christmas engineering work affecting South Western Railway services
As we are now about two weeks away from Christmas and the festive break for many, I wanted to make sure you had sight of the details of major engineering works taking place on our South West Main Line this year between Farnborough and Woking. I’ve provided a copy of a media release below that Network Rail has jointly issued with us that provides an overview of what is involved. You can also find this on their website. Our SWR journey planners are up to date and live with the changes linked to this engineering work, so we are encouraging everyone to check their planned journeys now. We have also created a page on our website with a summary of the changes.
As this engineering work is on a stretch of the main line, journeys from much further afield will also be affected – trains coming up from Weymouth and Bournemouth for example will take a diverted route to avoid the engineering work, meaning a longer journey than usual. Shorter distance routes in the area will be replaced by buses for some of the journey. We would be very grateful for any help you are able to provide in raising awareness of these works, so people are not caught out nearer the time.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Kind regards,
Matt
TWO WEEKS TO GO: Vital engineering work in the Woking area to impact Main Line services over Christmas and New Year
- Key upgrade work at Brookwood, between Farnborough and Woking, will mean significantly longer journeys
- Services between Waterloo and Southampton/Weymouth will be diverted, adding 45 minutes to journeys
- There will be no direct services between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids
- Passengers encouraged to check before travelling and plan journeys in advance
Network Rail and South Western Railway are encouraging passengers to plan ahead and check before travelling over the festive period as essential engineering work is starting in two weeks’ time on the South West Main Line will severely impact services.
On Sunday 15 December 2024 and from Monday 23 December 2024 until Monday 6 January 2025, train services will be revised while Network Rail works to upgrade the railway at Brookwood, between Farnborough and Woking.
During this time, engineers will be completing a wide range of critical upgrades for the continued safe and reliable running of the railway, using an array of specialist equipment including 19 engineering trains, two tampers and a rail-mounted crane.
The work includes:
- Installing new switches and crossings – moveable sections of track and the equipment that guide trains from one track to another – at Pirbright Junction, where the line to Aldershot leaves the South West Main Line towards Basingstoke.
- Laying 3,000 metres of new conductor (third) rail, which powers the trains
- Installing over 100 new track panels (fixed sections of rails and sleepers) totalling approximately 2,000 metres of track
- Installing approximately 2,800 new sleepers and 9,450 tonnes of ballast (the stones that support the track)
- Laying over 5,000 metres of new electrification cabling
- Upgrading a number of track circuits and installing new heating equipment to help prevent the points – the equipment that allows trains to switch tracks – from freezing during the cold, winter months.
Engineers will also be carrying out work to strengthen embankments in the area, reducing the chance of landslips while maintenance teams will be carrying out tamping – the compacting of the stones that support the tracks – between Hook and Farnborough.
Drainage will also be improved between Brookwood and Farnborough near Basingstoke Canal, with new pipes installed into the embankments and catch-pits, to reduce the risk of flooding.
South Western Railway services will be altered or diverted and some journey times will be significantly longer.
Rail replacement buses will operate as follows:
- Sunday 15 December – Basingstoke to Woking
- Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 December – Farnborough to Woking
- Friday 27 December to Friday 3 January – Farnborough to Woking
- Sunday 5 January:
o Aldershot to Weybridge
o Basingstoke to Weybridge
o Andover to Woking
o Winchester to Woking
o Weybridge to Guildford
Journeys between London Waterloo and Southampton Central, Poole and Weymouth will be diverted via Guildford, taking approximately 45 minutes longer. There will be no direct services between London Waterloo, Salisbury and Exeter St Davids. Services from Ascot to Aldershot will be revised to run earlier between Camberley and Aldershot between Monday 16 December and Saturday 21 December.
Services between London Waterloo and Alton, Guildford and Farnham, and London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour via Basingstoke will also be affected.
There will be no train or bus services on the SWR network on Wednesday 25 (Christmas Day) and Thursday 26 December (Boxing Day). Details of how this engineering work will affect journeys can be found at www.southwesternrailway.com/woking-christmas. Passengers are advised to plan ahead and check before you travel.
Mark Goodall, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said: “We’re urging passengers to plan ahead and check before they travel over the festive period while we carry out these essential improvements to the railway.
“Our teams will be working around the clock to upgrade the railway for the long-term benefit of our passengers, which once complete, will mean smoother and more reliable journeys.
“We know there is never a good time to close the railway. However, the festive period presents us with an opportune time to complete more complex upgrades such as these, as fewer passengers are travelling and the railway is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
“I would like to thank passengers in advance for their patience and understanding while we complete this work.”
Peter Williams, South Western Railway’s customer and commercial director, said: “It’s important that customers plan their journeys in advance and check before they travel over the Christmas and New Year’s period.
“There will be significant changes to train services that travel between Woking, Farnborough and Basingstoke, changing as engineering work progresses. Rail replacement buses will operate, train services will be diverted or altered, and journeys will take significantly longer. We’re sorry for the disruption this will cause and are very grateful for our customers’ patience.”
Notes to Editors
Changes to passenger journeys
Sunday 15 December: Buses replace trains between Woking and Basingstoke. London Waterloo to Weymouth services will divert via Guildford, Havant and Fareham. Waterloo to Alton services will divert via Guildford. London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids services will start at Basingstoke.
Monday 16 to Saturday 21 December: Services from Ascot to Aldershot will be revised to run earlier between Camberley and Aldershot.
Sunday 22 December: Normal timetabled service.
Monday 23 December and Tuesday 24 December: A fast bus will replace express trains between Woking and Basingstoke. A stopping bus replaces trains between Woking and Farnborough with extra train services running between Farnborough and Basingstoke. London Waterloo to Weymouth services will divert via Guildford, Havant and Fareham. Waterloo to Alton services will divert via Guildford. London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids services will start at Basingstoke.
Wednesday 25 December and Thursday 26 December (Christmas Day and Boxing Day): No trains will run all day.
Friday 27 December to Friday 3 January: A fast bus will replace express trains between Woking and Basingstoke. A stopping bus replaces trains between Woking and Farnborough with extra train services running between Farnborough and Basingstoke. London Waterloo to Weymouth services will divert via Guildford, Havant and Fareham. Waterloo to Alton services will divert via Guildford. London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids services will start at Basingstoke.
Saturday 4 January: Buses replace trains between Woking and Basingstoke. London Waterloo to Weymouth services will divert via Guildford, Havant and Fareham. Waterloo to Alton services will divert via Guildford. London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids services will start at Basingstoke. London Waterloo to Portsmouth via Guildford services will be revised with some services terminating at Guildford.
Sunday 5 January: Buses replace trains between Woking, Guildford, Basingstoke and Andover. London Waterloo to Weymouth services will take a diversionary route between Clapham Junction and Southampton Central and will call at Guildford, Havant and Fareham. London Waterloo to Portsmouth via Guildford services will not stop at Woking; stopping at Surbiton instead; a revised service will run between Eastleigh and Portsmouth. Additional services run between Winchester and Southampton Central. London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids services will start from Andover. London Waterloo to Alton services will start at Guildford. Buses will also run between Weybridge and Guildford/Basingstoke/Aldershot via Woking.
Matthew Evans
Senior Stakeholder and Public Affairs Manager
South Western Railway
4th Floor, South Bank Central, 30 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9LQ
07870 833905
Continue reading → - THE CHIDEOCK CHATTERS BOOK CLUB
THE CHIDEOCK CHATTERS
BOOK CLUB
AT THE CLOCK ON THE 2nd TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH
7PM START
For more information contact: Jane on 01297 489996/07759274905
Continue reading → - CHIDEOCK HALL FILM NIGHT Tuesday 21st January – 7.00pm for 7.30pm
CHIDEOCK HALL FILM NIGHT
Tuesday 21st January – 7.00pm for 7.30pm
WICKED
LITTLE LETTERS
A 1920s English seaside town bears witness to a farcical and occasionally sinister scandal in this riotous mystery comedy. Based on a stranger than fiction true story, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS follows two neighbors: deeply conservative local Edith Swan (Olivia Colman) and rowdy Irish migrant Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley). When Edith and fellow residents begin to receive wicked letters full of unintentionally hilarious profanities, foul-mouthed Rose is charged with the crime. The anonymous letters prompt a national uproar, and a trial ensues. However, as the town’s women — led by Police Officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) — begin to investigate the crime themselves, they suspect that something is amiss, and Rose may not be the culprit after all.
£5.00 Entry – cash or card payments accepted which includes free tea/coffee & popcorn
wine by glass or bottle, beer, cider & choc ices on sale during interval.
Continue reading → - BUS TIMETABLE FOR THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD
Firstly, from all of us here at First Bus in Wessex we wish you all a pleasant and Merry Christmas and would like to thank you all for choosing to travel with us throughout the year.
During the holiday season, First Bus in Wessex will be operating revised levels of service from Tuesday 24 December 2024 until Wednesday 1 January 2025.
Here are the planned levels of service:
Tuesday 24th December 2024:
Saturday service with early finish (tap below for full timetables).Wednesday 25th December 2024:
No services will operate.Thursday 26th December 2024:
No services will operate.Friday 27th December 2024:
Saturday service will operate*.Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th December 2024:
Normal weekend timetables will be in place.Monday 30th December 2024:
Saturday service will operate*.Tuesday 31st December 2024:
Saturday service with early finish (tap below for full timetables).Wednesday 1st January 2024:
No services will operate.* Services which do not usually operate on Saturdays will operate a normal weekday timetable – please see details in the individual service information attached.
Continue reading →Find out more - QUIZ NIGHT IN THE VILLAGE HALL – IN AID OF ST.GILES CHURCH. 31ST JANUARY.
Continue reading →
Friday 31st January 2025. 7-15 for 7-30. £10 including supper. Bring your own drinks, glasses, tipples & nibbles. Limited numbers for this ever popular event so please book your table early to avoid disappointment! (Max 4 per table) Call or message 07852 332938. - CHRISTMAS DRINKS HAMPER RAFFLE FOR THE ST.GILES CHURCH HEATING FUND.
- FILM NIGHT IN THE VILLAGE HALL. 7-00pm for 7.30pm ‘WICKED LITTLE LETTERS’
£5 entry – cash or card payments accepted which includes free tea/coffee & popcorn! Wine by the glass or bottle and choc ices ‘on sale’ during the interval.
Continue reading → - WINTER BOOK CLUB at The Clock.
The Winter Book Club will be held at The Clock on the 2nd tuesday of each month. 7.00pm start. For more information contact Jane: 01297 489996.
Continue reading → - CHIDEOCK NEWS – DEC 2024/JAN 2025
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