A fuel injection pumping apparatus for supplying fuel to a compression ignition engine has a low pressure pump (10) which supplies fuel to a high pressure pump (13) by way of a throttle (12). The high pressure pump has a piston (18) for varying the timing of delivery of fuel. A first fixed orifice (22) connects the outlet (11) of the low pressure pump to the cylinder containing the piston (18) and a second fixed orifice (23) connects the cylinder with a drain by way of a variable orifice (25A). In parallel with the second fixed orifice (23) is a bypass valve 34 including a valve member (35) responsive to the pressure applied to the piston (18) and which with increasing pressure opens to allow fuel to escape through a further fixed orifice (39) from downstream of the second fixed orifice (23).