she was built by laird brothers in birkenhead as one of a trio of new ships for the great western railway as a twin-screw steamer for the channel island services. the other ships were tss gazelle and tss lynx. the new steamer was launched on 4 may 1889 and named by miss maciver, daughter of mr. david maciver of woodslee, one of the directors of the company. she made her inaugural voyage between weymouth and the channel islands on 17 july 1889.