Information has come to light regarding these camp ovens that indicates they were either made by or made for Queensland Rail. They were probably used by linesmen / gangers ect .
They are a very solidly built oven and easy to recognise having a cross on the lid and rectangular legs.
All 3 examples I have seen were 12 inch ovens
If anyone has more information please add it to this post.

---

A very nice robust pot to add to yer collection but $400 ????    Phew


pd

Nice buy SBB, I reckon she'll make a top cooking pot if yer planning to use her.

NO NO SJ.....I didnt buy it ......I already had one

SBB, try the railway museum at Ipswich.

I went on the tour one day through the old workshops and they said they made everything that was cast iron, tools, solder pots etc. Didn't think they made CO's but would have made sense.

Here is a link.

http://www.theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au/

Troyk wrote on Oct 28^th, 2009 at 6:14pm:

SBB, try the railway museum at Ipswich. I went on the tour one day through the old workshops and they said they made everything that was cast iron, tools, solder pots etc. Didn't think they made CO's but would have made sense. Here is a link. http://www.theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au/

Thanks Troy

Have sent them an email with a photo.


Derek

This may add to this thread:

Hey David,               Thursday, 22 October 2009
Thanks for your email and kind comments on my web site. :-) I cannot say for sure that it is a Qld Railway Camp oven, but I do know my Dad had one almost identical to the one in the image you have sent me and worked for many years with Queensland Railways in the fettling gangs in the late 50's and early 60's so its a good possibility it may have been ex Queensland Railways but I can't confirm it. If you are after one I did happen to notice one for sale on e-bay. Do a search under QR or Qld Railways or similar to find it.
For confirmation about the ID of the camp oven I suggest you contact the Workshops Rail Museum which is based on the site of the old Ipswich Workshops. They can be found on line at: http://www.theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au/  Perhaps you could visit them in Ipswich where they have an extensive historical archive library and reading room on Queensland Railway history or you could ring them direct (07) 3432 5100 for further information and help. Trust this has been of some help to you David.
Cheers, Colin Power.
Colin's Queensland Railways Internet Photo Album Banner
http://www.colinp.net/

Re: Railway Camp Ovens‏
From:  Jody Ashford (highfieldspioneerv@westnet.com.au)  
Sent: Friday, 16 October 2009 5:40:16 PM
To:  David Cheetham (dgcheetham@hotmail.com)

Hi David,
Dad said to contact Ned Winter from Ned's Corner, he would know.
or to contact the local rail museum: http://www.downssteam.com/contactus.htm
Cheers,
Jody

G'day David,  talking to Ned Winter a few months ago and I asked him if he had an email address and his reply was, "Hell I can't even understand how to operate a TV remote control".
He lives just south of Dalby at Cecil Plains, nice bloke and he's forgotten more about camp ovens than we know.

pd

I saw Ned last Sunday at a Poets breakfast and never thought to approach him about this issue.
No doubt he would have spun me a 'tall story'................

KD

Found this extract from a Queensland Main Roads - Our Story - MRD location Branch 1928-1961

The Branch also regulated the type of camp equipment issued to parties. A Circular Letter, issued in October 1958, listed the cooking utensils to be issued to each man as :- 2 mugs, 3 plates, 1 knife, 1 fork, 2 spoons, 2 billy cans 4 quarts, 1 billy can 12 quart, 1 small water bag, 1 small frying pan, 1 wash basin, and to be shared by 2 men, 1 meat safe, 1 open bucket, 1 bucket with lid, and 1 camp oven.
The first refrigerator was issued in 1949. Wood stoves were not approved for issue until 1958. The Branch also designed the pyramid tents which were the first choice of surveyors, and purchased the first 4WD’s. ex- army jeeps.

Could this be the Queensland camp oven with the cross on the lid?

Interesting reading COwest........could well be one and the same.
At one stage KD added this in another part of the forum it also mentions Main Roads Dep


Kingsthorpe David wrote on Jan 29^th, 2010 at 6:12pm:

I bumped into Ned Winter (famous Qld camp oven cook) today in the Tender Centre. He owns one of these and calls this item "the main roads camp oven, made by the Government, also used by Railway fettlers". Has a cross like a Hotcross Bunn on top. KD

This maybe a bit late after this topic started, but I just joined and I have one of those Camp ovens. They are made in the Bundaberg Foundary on rainy days. They also make a much bigger one maybe 20-24 inches. I haven't seen to many of the big one though many people from Bundaberg do have the 12 inch one.

G'day Glenn and welcome to  the forum.
I have a few questions
Does the bigger one have the same cross pattern on top?
Do they sell either size from the foundry.......if they are still made????
Also wondering if yours was second hand or you got it from the foundry somehow????
Any other info you have on these ovens would be of interest to many of the members here im sure.
SBB

Hi Bill, yes the bigger one does have the cross on top. They don't actually sell them to the public, I think the guys just make them on rainy days for themselves and their friends. I was just lucky to get one from a friend. It still had the pouring dag attached on top of the lid and underneath the base which I had to grind off.  I then sand blasted it and made sure the lid had a good fit by chalking the contact rim of the lid and spinning it on the base and grinding off any high spots(which there was only one very small one). My friend has since moved on so I can't ask for another as I would like to get the big version. I know they have been making them for many years, I remember my father talking about them when we went camping 40 years ago(hell I'm getting old). I don't know how you would get your hands on one, but if I find someone I know that works there,( I never stop looking and asking) I will certainly find out what I can and let you know.
Glenn

Thanks for that Glenn......all very interesting. Id love to get hold one of the bigger ones too. If you ever come across a base without lid for a small oven Id be keen to know as well as mine has had its legs chopped off :(

what are they worth? are they valuable or just interesting? wondering,frypanfil. :)

A little bit more history to add to these.  Click on the linkl.

https://ehive.com/account/5386/object/402173/Camp_Oven

https://f1.ehive.com/5386/1/n24ibb_6u33_m.jpg

Excellent little piece of history Derek.

Jeff

Yeah...I know someone who has TWO.   :D :D :D

Rob.

I am still to add one of these to my collection. Also I am hoping to one day add a Carron with the patterned lid to my collection.

Over the last few years Ive picked up another couple of these ovens. My original had no legs on the pot, All bar one of these ovens have been assembled from parts as I found them.
Thought I would post some more examples of them in this section as your unlikely to see 3 of them together very often.
http://s6.postimg.org/79kjnmmn4/rail_1.jpg
http://s6.postimg.org/9s68ob8dc/rail_2.jpg
Two of the four bases I have came with the same kind of bail arm on them. The two bases were found many miles apart, it seems unlikely that the same person made both bails. This could be an indication that these are original factory bails. Im pretty sure Ive also seen this type of bail on a another oven that was listed on Ebay a fair while ago.
http://s6.postimg.org/miah1egbk/rail_1.jpg

The photos I posted in my last post here don't seem to work, so I will post them again.
Since the photos were taken one of these ovens had gone to live with Poddy.
http://s6.postimg.org/umil652qo/rail_3.jpg
http://s6.postimg.org/nxc1q4heo/rail_1.jpg
http://s6.postimg.org/vel95c6xs/rail_2.jpg

Saltbush Bill wrote on Dec 13^th, 2015 at 1:15pm:

The photos I posted in my last post here don't seem to work, so I will post them again.

Not sure why that happens.  I managed to get one of them back

Derek wrote on Dec 13^th, 2015 at 1:27pm:

Not sure why that happens.  I managed to get one of them back

Is it something to do with the code becoming corrupt or changing in some way Derek?

I think the one I adopted was the middle one in the picture as it didn't have a bail. I have since made one up identical to the originals. BTW a nice solid oven Rory, I am pleased with it.

Rob.

Saltbush Bill wrote on Dec 13^th, 2015 at 6:01pm:

Is it something to do with the code becoming corrupt or changing in some way Derek?

I think they change the code for some reason.  I can go into the post and get the original code that takes me to a page where the image is bit then I need to save the image location again