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 (and others converted into) steam warships.

HMS Collingwood
Class overview
Name	Vanguard class
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Canopus-class
Succeeded by	None
In service	25 August 1835 - 1929
Planned	14
Completed	9
General characteristics
Type	Ship of the line
Length	190 ft (57.9 m) (gundeck) 154 ft 4 in (47 m) (keel)
Beam	56 ft 9 in (17.3 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Armament	80 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs, 2 × 68 pdr carronades Upper gundeck: 26 × 32 pdrs, 2 × 68 pdr carronades Quarterdeck: 14 × 32 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 32 pdrs, 2 × 32 pdr carronades Poop deck: 4 × 18 pdr carronades
Notes	Ships in class include: Vanguard, Collingwood, Goliath, Superb, Meeanee, Centurion, Lion, Colossus, Mars

They were originally planned as 78-gun third rates. Two ships were ordered in 1832 and another two in 1833, although one of the latter was intended to be a rebuilding of the second rate Union, and this was subsequently cancelled. At this point the design was modified and they were re-designated as 80-gun second rates. Another ship was ordered to this design in 1838, another seven in 1839 (of which two were subsequently re-ordered three months later as 90-gun ships to a new design - the Albion and Aboukir) and another two in 1840. Two of the above ships were re-ordered and completed as steam battleships - Majestic and Irresistible. A final ship to this design, the Brunswick, was ordered in 1844 but in 1847 she was re-ordered to a modified design.