In the in the 1890's the  Birkenhead  and  Wallasey  Corporations  began to replace  their  ageing paddle steamers  with  new twin  screw  vessels  that  were faster and provided the  passengers with much better  accommodation. During the First World War, the Iris and Daffodil became famous  after taking part in the raid on  Zeebrugge in April 1918. Later both ferryboats were given the prefix Royal, for their part in this action.

The  first purpose-built luggage  boat to carry vehicles was the Oxton  which came into service on the Woodside  to  Liverpool  crossing in 1879,  followed by the Bebington  and  Tranmere.  The  Birkenhead  Corporation added  a  further  luggage boat to its fleet in 1907, with  the Prenton. After the First World War the Barnston  and Churton, two larger boats came into service in 1921. From the early 1900's the Seacombe luggage boat service was maintained by the Wallasey and the Seacombe. The two steamers were in use until after the First World War. In 1921  the Leasowe and  the Liscard were both commissioned for the  Seacombe to  Liverpool service. The  Wallasey was  withdrawn from service in 1925 and the Seacombe in 1929.

           Throughout the 1920’s and 30’s  the numbers of passengers using the Wirral's, Woodside and Seacombe services steadily increased.  During the same period  the ferries began to replace the first generation of screw driven steamers that came into service in the 1890's with larger vessels, many of which took the names of the vessels they replaced. During the Second World War the Royal Daffodil II,  was the only ferryboat to suffer any serious damage, when she was sunk by a German bomb as the vessel lay alongside the Seacombe Landing Stage on the 8^th May 1941.