Rayburn cookers

I have noticed that people are once again buying Rayburn cookers. I learned to cook on a 1960's Rayburn Royale and have been interested in them since. I am about to have my oil heating system taken out and a Rayburn put in instead.So I have been watching Rayburns on ebay and am a bit concerned. Sellers describing 50 and 60 year old models as "20 years old". Describing the Royale as "Suitable to run the central heating" or "will run up to 6 rads" when it won't do any such thing.So here is a bit of useful info to help you date the model which is being listed.I refer to solid fuel Rayburns in all cases.Rayburn was started in 1946. That's when the first cookers were made. The original had no hotplate lid, had vertical handles and came only in the mottled cream colour. It came in the Rayburn number 1 and Number 2. The number 1 had one oven and was sold until about 1958 when it was remodelled and called the Rayburn Regent. The number 2 had 2 ovens and later was called the number 3 after a few improvements had been made. Still the same mottled cream colour and still no hotplate lid though.Then it was renamed and remodelled in about 1958, had a one piece hob cover, came with a back boiler as optional which would heat a tank full of domestic hot water and renamed the Royal.It was available with or without ahot-water boiler and with left or right handed ovens, also available wereoptional extras such as the splash back, plate-rack, drip tray and a plinth toraise by the height by 3.75 inches. The standard boiler was plain cast iron,with the option of having it glass lined (enamelled) or of copper construction.In 1968 the option of twininsulating covers were offered, before becoming standard.During the 1970's the door handleswere changed to the horizontal pattern and the flue damper was brought up abovethe hob, with a redesigned flue chamber.By 1988, the left-hand oven optionwas discontinued.The 1990's saw more colouroptions ,together with chrome plated insulating covers and werere-designated 200S