Albion entered service in 1844 and was deployed to the Black Sea during the Crimean War.

[3] She took part in the siege of Sevastopol, with her commanding officer, Captain Stephen Lushington taking charge of a Naval Brigade providing vital heavy artillery support for the Allied forces besieging Sevastopol.

The Russians suffered heavy casualties (at least 1,100 men) but the Allies had failed to seriously damage the batteries.

The Anglo-French fleet had received comparatively light casualties, with about 500 killed or wounded in total.

However, the Allies had taken a beating from the Russian batteries, and Albion had been set on fire three times during the engagement, with 11 killed and 71 injured.