The Clyde was a bulky mess, it was part axial and part centrifugal flow and looked like both engines mated together. The all axial python was the more modern and smoother design, I actually think that Westlands did the right thing, you can’t really say they should of persisted with the troublesome Eagle piston engine and and not go with the turbo-prop as nothing would have advanced.
Beg to differ there James. As i understand it the Clyde, even in its original form was more powerful (4,050 shp as opposed to the early Pythons 3400shp), more efficient, more reliable, and had been the subject of more bench testing than the Python before it went into TF.2 VP120. It was also a far more compact engine than the Python, resulting in far less modification to the original TF.1 airframe to accomodate it and a narrower less bulky front fuselage profile.
The Clyde was also considered to have a far greater chance of further development than the Python, and more importantly, a superior throttle response. Something the Python never really enjoyed even in its final form.
But as has been said before, Westlands hands were tied, and after Rolls Royce dropped the Clyde completely it had no alternative but to use the bomber and transport designed Python.
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