DMU Engines

Leyland 600 125hp Engine

The Leyland O.600 engine was only fitted to one type of DMU — the first batch of Derby Lightweights for the West Riding, which became the Red Triangle sets. There were just eight sets comprising sixteen vehicles, all power cars. That meant just 32 engines in use (and some for spares).

The engine got its name from its 600 cubic inch swept volume, this was the equivalent of 9.8 litres. Externally it appeared almost identical to the 680 (which was 11.1 litres).

The horizontal engine had a basic rating of 125hp but it appears to be uprated to 138hp for this application (see the text in the BUT advert).

On these Derby Lighweights it was used with hydraulic transmission and thus a torque converter was attached, seen on the left side of the image. All the 680 applications used mechanical transmission and so had a fluid flywheel instead.

The vehicles had a very short lifespan on British Railways being withdrawn in 1964. That and the very small quantity means that little has survived in the way of documentation or manuals from this rail use.

More details about the engine can be found from the bus world, this image shows a horizontal 600 fitted under a Bristol REHL bus and this website has more details about the engine including trade adverts and a page on an engine overhaul.