Fuelling the Wars • PLUTO and the Secret Pipeline Network 1936-2015

In the 1930s the total fuel reserves of the RAF was just 8000 tons, a totally inadequate figure which would have lasted little more than a day under wartime conditions. To prepare for this, a large number of protected storage depots was started  which, when finished, had a capacity of  over 1.6 million tons of fuel.

To distribute the fuel quickly a very large network of pipelines were constructed to link the depots, some of which remain in service today. The so called "PLUTO' piplines were intended to plug into this network, and are described in considerable detail here, although their contribution to the early stages of the invasion was actually negligible.

A fascinating account of a little known national asset conceived and built under difficult circumstances.

262 large format pages, with numerous B&W and colour photographs, maps, charts and diagrams. Hardbound.