A hose reel comprising a level winder (10,110,210,310), the level winder including: a carriage (20,120,220) operatively connected to a hose guide, the carriage adapted to control the winding of the hose onto the hose reel and to allow the hose to be paid out through the hose guide; characterised by: a drive mechanism operating in a drive mechanism plane and carrying at least one drive dog (32,136) the drive dog being: in the shape of a crescent; mounted on a chain or belt that is driven by a pair of spaced sprockets or drive wheels that are in turn rotatably mounted on a sprocket or drive wheel shaft; and, adapted to engage a carriage guide (12,112) on which the carriage is mounted to move the carriage reciprocally along a track, wherein the carriage guide is aligned in the same plane that the drive dog travels; and the carriage guide comprising at least one curved surface (14,114) adapted to define a recess (13,113) and to engage a curved surface of the drive dog (16,116), such that at least a portion of the drive dog curved surface is always facing or engaged with the carriage guide curved surface and remains trapped in the recess (12,113). a carriage (20,120,220) operatively connected to a hose guide, the carriage adapted to control the winding of the hose onto the hose reel and to allow the hose to be paid out through the hose guide; characterised by: a drive mechanism operating in a drive mechanism plane and carrying at least one drive dog (32,136) the drive dog being: in the shape of a crescent; mounted on a chain or belt that is driven by a pair of spaced sprockets or drive wheels that are in turn rotatably mounted on a sprocket or drive wheel shaft; and, adapted to engage a carriage guide (12,112) on which the carriage is mounted to move the carriage reciprocally along a track, wherein the carriage guide is aligned in the same plane that the drive dog travels; and the carriage guide comprising at least one curved surface (14,114) adapted to define a recess (13,113) and to engage a curved surface of the drive dog (16,116), such that at least a portion of the drive dog curved surface is always facing or engaged with the carriage guide curved surface and remains trapped in the recess (12,113). a drive mechanism operating in a drive mechanism plane and carrying at least one drive dog (32,136) the drive dog being: in the shape of a crescent; mounted on a chain or belt that is driven by a pair of spaced sprockets or drive wheels that are in turn rotatably mounted on a sprocket or drive wheel shaft; and, adapted to engage a carriage guide (12,112) on which the carriage is mounted to move the carriage reciprocally along a track, wherein the carriage guide is aligned in the same plane that the drive dog travels; and in the shape of a crescent; mounted on a chain or belt that is driven by a pair of spaced sprockets or drive wheels that are in turn rotatably mounted on a sprocket or drive wheel shaft; and, adapted to engage a carriage guide (12,112) on which the carriage is mounted to move the carriage reciprocally along a track, wherein the carriage guide is aligned in the same plane that the drive dog travels; and the carriage guide comprising at least one curved surface (14,114) adapted to define a recess (13,113) and to engage a curved surface of the drive dog (16,116), such that at least a portion of the drive dog curved surface is always facing or engaged with the carriage guide curved surface and remains trapped in the recess (12,113).