A stored energy assembly for an electrical switching apparatus including a housing, said stored energy assembly comprising: a mount structured to be removeably coupled to said housing; a stored energy mechanism coupled to said mount and being movable among a charged position and a discharged position; a gear assembly including a plurality of gears (132,134,136); an actuating element being cooperable with said gears (132,134,136) in order to charge said stored energy mechanism, said actuating element being movable among a first position corresponding to said stored energy mechanism being disposed in said charged position, and a second position corresponding to said stored energy mechanism being disposed in said discharged position; a first charging mechanism coupled to a corresponding one of said gears (132,134,136); and a second charging mechanism coupled to said corresponding one of said gears (132,134,136), wherein each of said first charging mechanism and said second charging mechanism is structured to move said gears (132,134,136), in order to move said actuating element and charge said stored energy mechanism, characterised in that said stored energy mechanism, said actuating element, said gear assembly, said first charging mechanism, and said second charging mechanism are coupled to said mount, thereby forming a self-contained sub-assembly which is structured to be removeably coupled to said housing of said electrical switching apparatus, wherein said mount comprises a first side, a second side, a first end, a second end disposed opposite and distal from the first end, a back structured to be coupled to said housing, a front structured to be accessible external said housing, a first side plate, a second side plate disposed opposite said first side plate, and number of mounting blocks disposed between said first side plate and said second side plate, and wherein said first charging mechanism of said stored energy assembly is a manual charging mechanism including a charging handle; wherein said charging handle is pivotably coupled to said front of said mount between said first side plate and said second side plate. a mount structured to be removeably coupled to said housing; a stored energy mechanism coupled to said mount and being movable among a charged position and a discharged position; a gear assembly including a plurality of gears (132,134,136); an actuating element being cooperable with said gears (132,134,136) in order to charge said stored energy mechanism, said actuating element being movable among a first position corresponding to said stored energy mechanism being disposed in said charged position, and a second position corresponding to said stored energy mechanism being disposed in said discharged position; a first charging mechanism coupled to a corresponding one of said gears (132,134,136); and a second charging mechanism coupled to said corresponding one of said gears (132,134,136), wherein each of said first charging mechanism and said second charging mechanism is structured to move said gears (132,134,136), in order to move said actuating element and charge said stored energy mechanism, characterised in that said stored energy mechanism, said actuating element, said gear assembly, said first charging mechanism, and said second charging mechanism are coupled to said mount, thereby forming a self-contained sub-assembly which is structured to be removeably coupled to said housing of said electrical switching apparatus, wherein said mount comprises a first side, a second side, a first end, a second end disposed opposite and distal from the first end, a back structured to be coupled to said housing, a front structured to be accessible external said housing, a first side plate, a second side plate disposed opposite said first side plate, and number of mounting blocks disposed between said first side plate and said second side plate, and wherein said first charging mechanism of said stored energy assembly is a manual charging mechanism including a charging handle; wherein said charging handle is pivotably coupled to said front of said mount between said first side plate and said second side plate.