An electrical machine, such as a transverse flux motor, incorporates a stator core assembly 1. The stator core assembly 1 comprises a stator frame 4 upon which stator cores 2,3 are located with spacer elements 7 therebetween. A number of stator pole members 10,11 are located such that channels 13 in these members 10,11 accommodate limbs 5,6 of the cores 2,3. The stator pole members 10,11 straddle more than two limbs 5,6 in order to provide greater structural stability for the assembly 1 despite magnetic flux cycling and other distortion effects. By such greater structural stability more accurate control of a gap between the stator core assembly 1 and a rotor in the machine can be maintained.