(57) An electrical switch assembly comprising a base plate (12); depressible switch buttons (14) mounted on the base plate and including electrical switch contacts; a cover plate (20) spaced from the base plate and extending in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the base plate; an aperture (22) in the cover plate having a centre aligned with an axis (A), the axis being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base plate; a knob (24) located on the opposite side of the cover plate to the base plate, the knob having a shaft (26) extending through the aperture, the aperture having a predetermined size and shape to restrict the translational movement of the knob shaft in the aperture to predetermined directions away from the centre of the aperture; actuating means (28) secured to the knob shaft on the opposition side of the cover plate to the knob, the actuating means having chamfered surfaces (30) at predetermined positions; actuating rods (32) extending in a direction substantially parallel to the axis between the switch buttons and the actuating means, at least one of the rods being selectively engageable with an associated one of the chamfered surfaces on translational movement of the knob away from the centre of the aperture to depress the associated switch button by way of said at least one rod; a cardan shaft (34) extending between the knob shaft and the base plate, the cardan shaft being extendable in length; a first cardan joint (36) connected between the cardan shaft and the knob shaft; a second cardan joint (38) connected between the cardan shaft and the base plate; wherein translational movement of the knob away from the centre of the aperture causes the cardan shaft to extend in length.