A pumping station for pumping a cooling and lubricating fluid containing particulate matter such as machining chips has a compact structure with a relatively low total structural height, while still assuring that the chips are conveyed with the fluid to the pump suction inlet, without settling-out or accumulating in the apparatus. The pumping station (1) includes a collecting container (5) with at least one pump (6) arranged therein, a chip breaker (7) and a supply conduit arrangement. The supply conduit arrangement includes a supply line (2) through which the cooling and lubricating fluid containing the machining chips is received from a machining tool or transfer station. Furthermore, two branch lines (3) and (4) are interposed and connected between the supply line (2) and the collecting container (5). A first branch line (3) conveys the fluid, from which the chips have been removed, with a slight downward slope toward the collecting container (5). The second branch line (4) conveys the chips that have been removed from the fluid flow. A scraper conveyor or the like conveys the chips upward through the second branch line (4), and the outlet end of the branch line (4) is arranged directly above the chip breaker (7), which in turn is arranged above the outlet end of the fluid conveying branch line (3). The comminuted chips thus fall from the breaker (7) directly into the flow of fluid, in which the chips are then entrained and carried along into the sump (13) of the collecting container (5), where the chips and fluid are sucked and pumped away by the pump (6).