London Belle was the largest of the Belle fleet and was the first to have triple expansion engines fitted, a practice that was followed in the subsequent Belles.
She was electronically lit and sumptuously fitted out in mahogany and velvet. She had a fixed funnel from the start and in photographs she is noticeable by having a larger funnel than all her fleetmates.
During the First World War, she and the Walton Belle were fitted out as ‘Hospital Carriers’ and sent to northern Russia, via the North Cape.
London Belle was a fast boat of 19-20 knots and was a good seaboat. In June 1895 she found her self on the same route as the larger Koh-i-nor and beat her in an unofficial race to Clacton.
Like her fleetmates, she was sold after her owners hit financial troubles and, after changing hands again, she was scrapped at T. W. Wards in Grays in 1929.