In 1885, Bell was hired by the
White Star Line and worked in the engineering department of many ships carrying cargo and passengers to New Zealand and the United States. In 1889, he was appointed 3rd engineer of . The next year, he was appointed 2nd engineer of . The year after that, he was promoted once again to chief mechanical engineer of . Bell became one of the White Star Line's most trusted engineers and was sent to Belfast to oversee the construction and installation of the engines of a number of new White Star liners, including and in 1908 and 1909. He subsequently took each of these liners out for their first few voyages, serving as Chief Engineer. During
Olympics building, Bell had remained in Belfast throughout the process, superintending construction, overseeing the installation of the ship's powerplant, and "making any suggestions which he thought would lead to improvements." Bell served as Chief Engineer during the maiden voyage of . He then returned to Belfast, and Robert Fleming, another White Star senior engineer, was promoted to chief engineer on
Olympic.
RMS Titanic Bell was present as the engines of were constructed and assembled at the yard Engine Works. He formally signed on to the ship on 2 April, when the sea trials began. As Chief engineer, he was head of the engineering department which consisted of over 300 crewmembers including engineers, coal trimmers, greasers, and firemen. Assisting him was William Farquharson, the Senior Second Engineer. Following a coal bunker fire in Boiler Room No. 5 that was extinguished on 13 April, Bell ordered Leading Fireman
Frederick Barrett to arrange an inspection of the watertight bulkhead. While anchored in
Queenstown,
White Star Line Chairman
J. Bruce Ismay called Bell to his cabin and discussed the matter of the ship's performance. On the night of 14 April, shortly before
Titanic hit the iceberg, the engine crew received an order from the bridge to stop the engines in an attempt to slow the ship. Despite the crew's best efforts,
Titanic could not avoid the iceberg and just scrapped by it. After the collision, Ismay, while returning from the bridge met Bell near the "main companionway" and asked him if he believed that the ship was seriously damaged. Bell told him, "he thought the damage was serious, but that he hoped the pumps would be able to control the water." Quartermaster
Alfred Olliver entered the engine room to find Bell at work and gave him a message from Captain Smith. Bell looked at the note and went back to work. When Bell asked what he wanted, Olliver stated that he was waiting for a response to the Captain's message. Bell told him to tell the Captain that "he would get it done as soon as possible." According to coal trimmer Thomas Dillion, Bell ordered the watertight doors forward of the engine room until Boiler Room no. 4 to be open to allow the engineers to do their duty with the valves and pumps. Bell's last possible sighting was by Second Officer
Charles Lightoller, who wrote in his autobiography that he saw all the engineers on deck before the ship went down.
Titanic sank at 2:20 A.M. on 15 April. Bell and all the other engineers aboard the ship were among the approximately 1,500 people who perished. His body was likely never recovered.
Death Bell and the engineers are believed to have remained in the engine room, urging the stokers and firemen to keep the boilers active, allowing the pumps to continue their work and ensuring the electricity remained on as long as possible. Popular belief persisted that Bell and his men stayed below decks, never abandoning their posts, working to keep the lights and the power on in order for distress signals to get out, and they all died inside of
Titanic. However, there is evidence to suggest that at least some of the engineers were released to come on deck when the flooding became severe by 1:20 A.M.; between approximately 1:50 and 1:55 A.M., Greaser Frederick Scott testified to seeing eight engineers standing up against the electric crane on the starboard Boat Deck; by then, all the lifeboats had gone with the exception of two collapsible rafts which were subsquently washed off deck before they could be launched. ==Personal life==