The Albion-class ships of the line were a class of two-deck 90-gun second rates, designed for the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 by Sir William Symonds

William Symonds

Sir William Symonds FRS was "Surveyor of the Navy" in the Royal Navy from 9 June 1832 to October 1847, and took part in the naval reforms instituted by the Whig First Lord of the Admiralty Sir James Robert George Graham in 1832.-Early life:He was the second son...

. The first two were originally ordered in March 1840 as 80-gun ships of the Vanguard Class

Vanguard class ship of the line

The Vanguard-class ships of the line were a class of two-deck 80-gun second rates, designed for the Royal Navy by Sir William Symonds, of which nine were completed as sailing ships of the line, although another two of these were completed as steam warships.They were originally planned as 78-gun...

, but were re-ordered to a new design of 90 guns some three months later. Three more ships to this design were ordered in March 1840, but two of these (Princess Royal and Hannibal

HMS Hannibal (1854)

HMS Hannibal was originally planned as a 90-gun second rate ship of the line, to be built at Woolwich Dockyard. She was ordered on 14 May 1840, but cancelled and re-ordered. This ship was also named HMS Hannibal, and utilised the new screw propulsion technology. She was a 91-gun second rate,...

) were re-ordered to fresh designs in 1847.

Ships

Builder: Plymouth Dockyard

Ordered: 18 March 1839

Launched: 6 September 1842

Fate: Broken up, 1884

Builder: Plymouth Dockyard

Ordered: 18 March 1839

Launched: 4 April 1848

Fate: Broken up, 1878

Builder: Plymouth Dockyard

Ordered: 12 March 1840

Launched: 12 July 1854

Fate: Broken up, 1905