“Kenny Belle” Cromptons 1968-90

Crompton’s on the “Kenny Belle” 1968-1989

The 3.45 mile section of the West London line between Clapham Jn and Kensington Olympia was famous for its “Kenny Belle” passenger service. For many years until the early 80s the peak hour service of 2 trains from Clapham Jn (in the morning) and 2 trains from Kensington Olympia (in the evening) were unadvertised being run for workers at Olympia’s Post Office Savings Bank HQ and Lyon’s large factory.

Steam power working the “Kenny Belle” included BR 2-6-4T, Q1’s and Bullied Pacifics. The service remained steam hauled until July 5th 1967. After that class 33 Cromptons took over with early instances of the 6TC set 601 (old 4 -COR stock) featuring although the 6TC was regularly hauled both ways due to unreliability of the 6TC stock.

This article is from the spotting logs of MB who recorded the train and stock on a regular basis from 1975-1981 with hundreds of individual records of the morning service. By 1970 4TC stock was regularly used with push pull fitted 33’1s working most evening “Kenny Belle” turns using Waterloo men. Load 2 rakes were not unknown on the “Kenny Belle” such as 33065 working 2M02 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O on March 14th 1980 with BCK S21267 and TSO S3923.

The morning turns, we believe were covered by Norwood Jn men and more than often a 33’0 or 33’2. The “rare” 33206 for example, has worked at least 20 morning Kenny Belle turns between May 12th 1977 to August 24th 1982. The morning “Kenny Belle” also produced the occasional 73 along with classes 08, 09 and even 47.

Class 33’s that have worked the “Kenny Belle” 1968-1990

33001 n load 2 2M02 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 290580

33002 n 423 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 240677

33005 (as 6505) 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 110473

33007 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 140775

33008 n 423 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 101078

33009 n 405 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 030778

33011 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 300675

33014 (as 6522) 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 310173

33016 n 402 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 120778

33017 n 414 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 180676

6530 (later 33018) 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 100173

33021 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 161075

33025 n 430 0845 Clapham – Kensington O 180178

33026 n 4xx 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 050679

33027 n 415 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 110978

33028 n 413 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 250978

33029 n 427 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 211076

33030 n 417  0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 141077

33031 n 429 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 271077

33033  0845 Clapham Jn -Kensington O 151076

33034 n 428 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 051077

33035 n 406 0845 Clapham – Kensington O 170278

33036 n 401 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 230877

33037 n 402 0805? Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 261077

33038 n TC 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 290977

33039 n 433 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 061077

33040 0845 Clapham Jn -Kensington O (load 2) 131276

6560(later 33042 and set 601) Kensington O-CJ pm shuttle 200668

33043 n 4xxx 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 121176

33044 n 422 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 281077

33045  0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 141076

33046 0845 Clapham Jn -Kensington O 190776

33047 n 426 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 111176

33048 n 418 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 201277

33049 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 311075

33050 n 415 0845 Clapham Jn -Kensington O 130776

33051 n 407 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 241176

33052 n 401 0845 Clapham Jn -Kensington O 230776

33053 n 413 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 300776

33054 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 230975

33055 n 4xx 0845 Clapham – Kensington O 090178

33056 n 410 0845 Clapham Jn -Kensington O 090776

33057 n 426 0845 Clapham Jn -Kensington O 210776

33058 n 403 0845 Clapham – Kensington O 120178

33059 n 420 0845 Clapham – Kensington O 160178

33060 n 410 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 280776

33061 n 421 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 230678

33062 n 413 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 090577

33063 n 407 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O  140879

33064 n 414 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 020877

33065 n 434 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 131077

33101 1645 Kensington O – Clapham  J 310378

33102 n 417 2M02 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 200380

33103 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 061078

33104 n 413 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 191076

33105  2O81 1636 Kensington O – Clapham J 061082

33106 n 4xx 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 220579

33107  2O81 1636 Kensington O – Clapham J 070982

33108 2Y86 1740 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 241088

33109 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 200778

33110 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 140677

33111  1636 Kensington – Clapham Jn 190478

33112  n 4xx 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 110978

33113 1636 Kensington Olympia – Clapham Jn 310877

33114 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 280489

33115 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 080776

33116 2Y89 1727 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 230988

33117 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 040778

33118  1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 040281

33119 n 4xx 1636 Kensington O – Clapham Jn 300579

33201 n 419 0845 Clapham – Kensington O 030278

33202 n 407 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 081177

33203 (hauled stock) 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 071278

33204 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O  131075

33205 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 161176

33206 n 405 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 120577

33207 n TC 422 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 060876

33208 n 408 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 291177

33209 n TC 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 021277

33210 n TC 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington Olympia 011277

33211 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 021075

33212 n 433 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O 240178

Kenny Belle 33 Diagrams May 80 – May 81

Class 33’0 (HG) and 4TC

2M00 0812 Clapham Jn – Kensington O

emcars KO-CJ

2M02 0845 Clapham Jn – Kensington O

emcars KO-CJ

am turns believe went DMU from Oct 82 timetable

Kenny Belle Class 33’1 and 4TC

emcars CJ-KO

2O81 1636 Kensington – Clapham Jn 

emcars CJ-KO

2O82 1707 Kensington – Clapham Jn 

Kenny Belle 33’1 Diagram 3 Oct 88-May 14 1989

1V01 0140 Waterloo – Salisbury

1L06 0935 Salisbury – Waterloo

1600 Clapham Jn – Kensington O

1612 Kensington – Clapham Jn

1625 Clapham Jn – Kensington O

1637 Kensington – Clapham Jn

1650 Clapham Jn – Kensington O

1703 Kensington – Clapham Jn

1715 Clapham Jn – Kensington O

1727 Kensington – Clapham Jn

1740 Clapham Jn – Kensington O

1752 Kensington O – Clapham Jn

1L15 1842 Waterloo – Salisbury

1L16 2220 Salisbury – Waterloo

The end

pm turns believe went DEMU from late 1990. The Rail Gen Archive has 33108 making 4 return evening trips on the “Kenny Belle” on October 2nd 1989. The last recorded loco hauled “Kenny Belle” were 73139 and 73208 top and tail with 4TC 8010 on November 5th 1990..In 2023 TfL and Southern provide an all day 10 train per hour service between Clapham Jn and Kensington Olympia although with units not class 33s!

The “Kenny Belle” long gone but not forgotten…..

Thanks to “TC” for this classic Kenny Belle phot with 33116 and 4TC in Feb 89

Link to our ED’s on the Kenny Belle article

end