Abstract: A braking mechanism for a hoist incorporating two winding drums with brakes biased to move to the brakes applied state and fluid pressure means controllable by valves to operate in opposition to the biasing means has a bridge pipe containing a stop valve interconnecting the individual fluid supply lines leading from the control valves to the fluid pressure means. It also has isolator stop valve means arranged to control the flow of operating fluid to the control valves. The stop valve in the bridge pipe and the isolator stop valve may be arranged for remote control and may be biased so that the stop valve in the bridge pipe tends to open and the isolator stop valve tends to close.