Ellan Vannin was powered by two oscillating marine engines with tubular boilers, built by Messrs. Fawcett, Preston & Co. (similar to those installed in the Countess of Ellesmere) which developed 100 shp (75 kW), driving two paddle wheels of 16' diameter which were fitted with feathered floats.

[2] 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.

[2] Clinker built, Ellan Vannin was rigged as a two mast steamer[2] with two white painted funnels[2] and with a full-length female figurehead sitting on a rock adorned with a castellated crown.

[2] There was a forward saloon for the use of second class passengers, and around the deck were situated seats which could be removed in order to accommodate general cargo or livestock.

[2] Ellan Vannin underwent her sea trials on Saturday 29 July 1854,[4] prior to which she was involved in a race against the Countess of Ellesmere (said by contemporary reports to be the fastest steamer on smooth water in the whole of England).

[4] Once aboard the party witnessed the launch of the steamer Ethiope, the Ellan Vannin then steamed up the river as far as the Ince Lighthouse to meet the Countess of Ellesmere.

[4] The Countess operating under the command of Captain Street,[4] was brought up alongside the Ellan Vannin, at that point full steam was given and both vessels raced away towards Garston.

[4] Subsequently, the Ellan Vannin sailed down the channel as far as the Bell Buoy and back, during the course of which her speed was gauged by Captain Ponsonby on board the Mobile.

[4] A two knot tide was running against her,[4] however the Ellan Vannin covered the distance from the Northwest Lightship to the Rock Lighthouse in 1 hour 12 minutes.

[4] One flag at the company's offices displayed the ancient armorial symbol of the Isle of Man, with the motto "We are Progressing" and on the reverse side "Success to our Steamer".

Just after 14:00hrs she rounded Langness Point and entered Castletown Bay,[4] amidst the booming of the cannon and the cheering of the crowd, arriving off the pier at 14:20hrs having made passage in 6 hours 20 minutes.

[4] The Ben-my-Chree, which was returning to Douglas following a pleasure cruise around the Island passed close by and greeted the Ellan Vannin by firing two guns.

[4] The Ellan Vannin entered service under the command of Captain Joseph Skillicorn,[2] an experienced mariner who prior to his appointment had been in the employ of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company serving on the Mona's Queen with the rank of First Officer.

Ellan Vannin also operated an excursion from Castletown via Peel to Strangford Lough in the summer of 1856 so as her passengers could attend the Ardglass Regatta.

At a meeting held at the Union Hotel, Castletown, on Monday 11 August 1856, a gift in the form of a gold chronometer was presented to Capt.

It can be assumed that the offer of the winter charter was accepted as there is no published schedule in the Manx Press for the Ellan Vannin from 10 December 1856 until mid-May 1857.

However it would seem that the company continued to sustain losses over the winter of 1857–58, and by March 1858 it had been decided to put the Ellan Vannin up for sale by public auction.

The bidding proceeded very slowly with the highest offer being £4,200 (equivalent to £533,901 in 2023)[6] (a long way short of the £14,000 reputed to have been available in 1856) a sum which the directors and shareholders present would not accept.