She was laid down in October 1845; however, on 23 April 1847 her frigate design was abandoned as this type of iron warship was considered to be unsuitable against cannon fire and she was ordered to be completed as a troopship.

She was launched by Robert Napier and Sons in Govan, Yard No 17, on 24 May 1849, then sold to Collings, Dartmouth in June 1887.

[1] Simoom was designed to serve as an iron frigate; however, testing under heavy gunfire, carried out on the paddle steamer Ruby,[2] "demonstrated unmistakably that the splintering characteristics of the iron then used in shipbuilding rendered unprotected ships built of this material totally unsuitable as warships".

[2] The Royal Navy used troopships to carry soldiers and supplies to conflicts in British overseas interests.

Other contemporary examples included the Euphrates-class troopships, that were designed to support operations in India and Crimea.

Simoom was armed with eight guns and powered by 604 bhp (450 kW) Boulton & Watt, Birmingham steam engines, driving one propeller shaft.

The following notes for Simoom's career below are compiled from the RootsWeb Naval Database.

She was very low down in the water during the trial, particularly by the steam, having ballast on board equal in weight to what her stores, &c., would be.

The Simoom will now be fitted with a topgallant forecastle and a poop, and otherwise adapted for a troop ship, for the duties of which her great size and tonnage strongly recommend her.

1852 Troopship 8 May 1852 It is reported in Sydney that the Simoom has been fitted with a ship's cooking galley, which can cook food for a 1,000 men and distill 90 gallons of fresh water from salt water per hour.

1854-55 Crimea 1855 Refitted and re-engined at Portsmouth Dockyard with a 2-cyl, 1,699ihp engine giving 11.589kts.

Her original Napier engine was fitted to the first rate, screw ship of the line, Duke of Wellington.

25 May 1855 Kertch and Yenikale (Crimea) were captured, along with thousands of tons and coal and provisions, along with factories etc., by some 60 French and British vessels, and allied troops, for which no prize money appeared to be payable, contrary to the Queen's instructions.

26th January 1869 Arrived at Kingstown, Ireland, with the 2nd Battalion 16th Regiment on board, back from Barbados.

18 Jan 1874 Arrived Freetown, Sierra Leone, from the Cape Coast.

Simoom Sound, a former steamer landing (now post office) in the Broughton Archipelago on the Central Coast of British Columbia, Canada was named for the Royal Navy HMS Simoom, under the command of Captain John Kingcome, namesake of the nearby fjord Kingcome Inlet, Rear Admiral of the Pacific Station 1863-1864.