SS Ellan Vannin (1854) her general exterior being similar to the "Countess of Ellesmere." In fact she was built very much after the model of that vessel, but with the additional requirements to adapt her for sea-going purposes in the challenging conditions around the Isle of Man. Clinker built, "Ellan Vannin" was rigged as a two mast steamer with two white painted funnels and with a full length female figurehead sitting on a rock adorned with a castellated crown. "Ellan Vannin" was well appointed for the carriage of passengers with accommodation for 91 First Class and 195 Second Class. Her after saloon was in
SS Ellan Vannin (1883) "Fenella" in order to undergo her rebuild, on Friday 19 January 1883. Rebuilt in 1883, her size was increased to 375 gross register tons and her speed to . She was renamed (the Manx translation for "Mona's Isle") on 16 November 1883, following her conversion to a propeller-driven ship. "Ellan Vannin" was a twin-screw vessel driven by a two-cylinder compound steam engine made by Westray, Copeland and Co. at Barrow. Her boiler pressure was raised to . She was capable of carrying 300 passengers and normally had a crew of 14. "Ellan Vannin" primarily operated out of Ramsey to Whitehaven,