A hydraulic actuator arrangement comprising:- a hydraulic actuator comprising a cylinder having a bore in which a piston is slidably mounted for movement along the cylinder to extend and retract the hydraulic actuator , said cylinder comprising an external wall and a cylinder aperture formed in the external wall; and a wire actuated encoder mounted on an external surface of the cylinder at one end of the cylinder , said wire actuated encoder comprising:- a housing having a housing aperture ; and a drum mounted in the housing, said drum comprising a hub having a central aperture mounted on a spindle attached to the housing such that the drum is able to rotate about the spindle ; and a wire attached at a first wire end to the hub and wound around the hub , and said wire extending through the cylinder aperture and being attached to the piston for determining a stroke position of the piston within the cylinder , characterised by a first wire guide , in the form of a nozzle having a wire guide aperture , mounted within the housing adjacent the drum ; and a second wire guide , in the form of a rotatable wheel, located adjacent the housing aperture ; wherein the wire actuated encoder is axially mounted on the external wall and that the cylinder aperture extends through the external wall and the first and second wire guides are configured to ensure the smooth running of the wire from the hub through the cylinder aperture . a hydraulic actuator comprising a cylinder having a bore in which a piston is slidably mounted for movement along the cylinder to extend and retract the hydraulic actuator , said cylinder comprising an external wall and a cylinder aperture formed in the external wall; and a wire actuated encoder mounted on an external surface of the cylinder at one end of the cylinder , said wire actuated encoder comprising:- a housing having a housing aperture ; and a drum mounted in the housing, said drum comprising a hub having a central aperture mounted on a spindle attached to the housing such that the drum is able to rotate about the spindle ; and a wire attached at a first wire end to the hub and wound around the hub , and said wire extending through the cylinder aperture and being attached to the piston for determining a stroke position of the piston within the cylinder , a housing having a housing aperture ; and a drum mounted in the housing, said drum comprising a hub having a central aperture mounted on a spindle attached to the housing such that the drum is able to rotate about the spindle ; and a wire attached at a first wire end to the hub and wound around the hub , and said wire extending through the cylinder aperture and being attached to the piston for determining a stroke position of the piston within the cylinder , characterised by a first wire guide , in the form of a nozzle having a wire guide aperture , mounted within the housing adjacent the drum ; and a second wire guide , in the form of a rotatable wheel, located adjacent the housing aperture ; wherein the wire actuated encoder is axially mounted on the external wall and that the cylinder aperture extends through the external wall and the first and second wire guides are configured to ensure the smooth running of the wire from the hub through the cylinder aperture . a second wire guide , in the form of a rotatable wheel, located adjacent the housing aperture ; wherein the wire actuated encoder is axially mounted on the external wall and that the cylinder aperture extends through the external wall and the first and second wire guides are configured to ensure the smooth running of the wire from the hub through the cylinder aperture . <EOS>