A winch apparatus capable of hauling and supporting a heavy load on a cable, said winch apparatus comprising: a horizontal winch drum for storing cable comprising two axial ends and a flange on at least one axial end; a drive means; a base; and a bearing means that supports the winch drum, the bearing means being attached to one said axial end of the winch drum and attached to the base; characterised by a motor assembly quick removal means to allow for the removal of an assembly comprising said drive means and a disengagable motor assembly comprising a housing and a motor assembly that comprises a motor and a gearbox without dismantling the entirety of the winch apparatus, wherein: at least a part of the motor assembly is centred within the housing, the housing is at least partially disposed within the winch drum with a gap between the outer face of the housing and the inner face of the winch drum and the housing is connected to the base; the disengagable motor assembly (128, 130) is engaged with the winch drum by means of the drive means, wherein the drive means comprises a drum engagement means that is engaged with the inner face of the winch drum at a first of said axial ends of the winch drum and a drive shaft that connects the drum engagement means with the motor assembly so that, in use, rotation of the motor is transmitted to said winch drum; the drum engagement means is accessible from said first axial end of the winch drum to permit disengagement from said inner face of the winch drum so that said entire assembly comprising the drive means and disengageable motor assembly (128, 130) can be removed from the winch apparatus by exiting the second of said axial ends of the winch drum; and the motor is capable of controllably rotating the winch drum. a horizontal winch drum for storing cable comprising two axial ends and a flange on at least one axial end; a drive means; a base; and a bearing means that supports the winch drum, the bearing means being attached to one said axial end of the winch drum and attached to the base; characterised by a motor assembly quick removal means to allow for the removal of an assembly comprising said drive means and a disengagable motor assembly comprising a housing and a motor assembly that comprises a motor and a gearbox without dismantling the entirety of the winch apparatus, wherein: at least a part of the motor assembly is centred within the housing, the housing is at least partially disposed within the winch drum with a gap between the outer face of the housing and the inner face of the winch drum and the housing is connected to the base; the disengagable motor assembly (128, 130) is engaged with the winch drum by means of the drive means, wherein the drive means comprises a drum engagement means that is engaged with the inner face of the winch drum at a first of said axial ends of the winch drum and a drive shaft that connects the drum engagement means with the motor assembly so that, in use, rotation of the motor is transmitted to said winch drum; the drum engagement means is accessible from said first axial end of the winch drum to permit disengagement from said inner face of the winch drum so that said entire assembly comprising the drive means and disengageable motor assembly (128, 130) can be removed from the winch apparatus by exiting the second of said axial ends of the winch drum; and the motor is capable of controllably rotating the winch drum.