Fuel tanks can be seen to the right of the locomotive.

On the map, four large fuel tanks can be seen located to the left of the Marks Tey to Bures line just below Chappel Station.
The road to the left (Station Rd) leads to Bures to the North and the A604 to the South.
Two trains ran daily from Cambridge to Chappel with high octane fuel (120), returning empty to Cambridge.

The train stationed itself between the North end of the viaduct and Chappel station, fuel was then unloaded from the tanker wagons via hosereels down the embankment, to the storage depot below.
The wagons could carry ten tons of fuel oil and were equipped with steam-heating coils to aid loading and unloading.

A reasonably hazardous occupation, considering the Luftwaffe strafed and bombed the viaduct on many occasions. There were many tense moments for signalmen and trainmen whenever one of these petrol trains was stationery, when enemy aircraft or a "flying bomb" could be heard overhead.
If they didn`t hit the viaduct, a stray bomb hitting a fuel storage tank would no doubt have caused considerable damage.

This fuel was used too service the local airfield fighters and bombers. Both train and road tankers travelled mainly at night time, to avoid detection by enemy aircraft.
Transporting High Octane fuel, along potholed country roads, no doubt took some courage by the USAAF drivers.
One local resident confirms, there were two deliveries per night to Rattlesden,(Nr Bury) with the tanker returning empty during the day.
During the second quarter of 1943, 103 fuel trains were unloaded at the Chappel Fuel Depot

Acknowledgment to Paul Lemon, researcher at Colne Valley Railway
Eric Doe, Prickets Hall Farm