A braking mechanism comprising: at least one magnetic field provided by magnetic elements (13, 14, 22, 23), the magnetic elements including one north polarity facing magnet element (13, 22) and one south polarity facing magnet element (14, 23) aligned so as to cause a magnetic field between the elements, about a predetermined region (18, 21, 31), the predetermined region being located immediately between the magnetic elements; at least one additional magnet in the form of magnetic cladding (6, 12, 16) about the magnetic elements, acting to modify the magnetic flux density about the predetermined region (18, 21, 31); at least one conductive member (20, 32) or a part thereof that interacts with the magnetic field in the predetermined region (18, 21, 31); and, as the at least one conductive member (20, 32) or a part thereof interacts with the magnetic field in the predetermined region (18, 21, 31), eddy current drag forces are generated resisting relative movement between the at least one conductive member (20, 32) or a part thereof and the magnetic field, the at least one conductive member (20, 32) being a rotor, the rotor rotating about a rotational axis, and the magnetic cladding (6, 12, 16) substantially extending across an axial width of the rotor (20, 32), facing towards the axis of the rotor (20, 32), and the north polarity facing magnet element (13, 22) and south polarity facing magnet element (14, 23) facing opposing sides of the rotor (20, 32), the magnet elements (13, 14, 22, 23) and magnetic cladding (6, 12, 16) together substantially surrounding a part of the periphery of the rotor (20, 32) when the rotor (20, 32) interacts with the predetermined region (18, 21, 31), the magnetic field lines of the magnetic field passing through the predetermined region (18, 21, 31) being substantially parallel to the rotor axis. at least one magnetic field provided by magnetic elements (13, 14, 22, 23), the magnetic elements including one north polarity facing magnet element (13, 22) and one south polarity facing magnet element (14, 23) aligned so as to cause a magnetic field between the elements, about a predetermined region (18, 21, 31), the predetermined region being located immediately between the magnetic elements; at least one additional magnet in the form of magnetic cladding (6, 12, 16) about the magnetic elements, acting to modify the magnetic flux density about the predetermined region (18, 21, 31); at least one conductive member (20, 32) or a part thereof that interacts with the magnetic field in the predetermined region (18, 21, 31); and, as the at least one conductive member (20, 32) or a part thereof interacts with the magnetic field in the predetermined region (18, 21, 31), eddy current drag forces are generated resisting relative movement between the at least one conductive member (20, 32) or a part thereof and the magnetic field, the at least one conductive member (20, 32) being a rotor, the rotor rotating about a rotational axis, and the magnetic cladding (6, 12, 16) substantially extending across an axial width of the rotor (20, 32), facing towards the axis of the rotor (20, 32), and the north polarity facing magnet element (13, 22) and south polarity facing magnet element (14, 23) facing opposing sides of the rotor (20, 32), the magnet elements (13, 14, 22, 23) and magnetic cladding (6, 12, 16) together substantially surrounding a part of the periphery of the rotor (20, 32) when the rotor (20, 32) interacts with the predetermined region (18, 21, 31), the magnetic field lines of the magnetic field passing through the predetermined region (18, 21, 31) being substantially parallel to the rotor axis.