Pumping head

A pumping head (200;300) for a high-pressure fuel pump is disclosed. The pumping head comprises a head housing (204) having a bore (206), a pumping element (202) arranged for reciprocal linear movement along a pumping axis (Q), a first pumping chamber (240) and a second pumping chamber (242), inlet means (290;314) for delivering fluid to the first pumping chamber (240), outlet means (246,248) for conveying fluid from the second pumping chamber (242) to an outlet (244) of the pumping head, and transfer means (260,262) for conveying fluid from the first pumping chamber (240) to the second pumping chamber (242). Each forward stroke of the pumping element (202) increases a volume of the first pumping chamber (240) and decreases a volume of the second pumping chamber (242), thereby to cause fluid to flow into the first pumping chamber (240) from the inlet means (290;314) and to cause fluid to flow out of the second pumping chamber (242) to the outlet means (246,248). Each return stroke of the pumping element (202) decreases the volume of the first pumping chamber (240) and increases the volume of the second pumping chamber (242), thereby to cause fluid to flow from the first chamber (240) to the second chamber (242) through the transfer means (260,262).