During the Second World War the British government constructed a pipeline network under the English Channel. The network was designed to convey fuel to the Allied Forces in Normandy more easily and safely than could be achieved by oil tankers which were thought to be vulnerable to attack and subject to disruption by bad weather. The PLUTO network consisted of pipelines that conveyed fuel from the west coast English ports to the south coast from where the pipeline ran under the sea to France. There were two main departure points on the south coast, one on the Isle of Wight and one at Dungeness. To approach Dungeness the route ran through west Kent and arrived at a number of pumping stations on the south coast.