The paper describes a new family of linear machines which may have advantage in applications where the pole pitch is very much greater than the machine width. Compared with the more usual kind of linear motor, in which the magnetic flux lies largely in planes which are parallel to the direction of motion, the new machines, have flux paths lying transversely to this direction. This shortens the magnetic circuit and reduces the weight of steel core needed in narrow machines of large pole pitch. Two experimental machines are described which illustrate the techniques needed in construction, and some initial calculations on possible weight gains are included.