Paul Lewis Still Busy Conducting Essex Steam Train 30 Years After Leaving Andrew Warde High School

ESSEX --- Paul Lewis seemed genuinely thrilled that somebody recognized him from his teaching days at Andrew Warde High School. The conductor of the Essex Steam Train left the Fairfield secondary school in 1980, and he still regrets his decision to this day.

"I should never have left Warde," Lewis admitted to me during the scenic steam train ride along the Connecticut River Valley this afternoon. "The kids in Fairfield were eager to learn and wanted to learn." Lewis began his teaching career at Warde in 1962, but he left the school 18 years later to teach at a high school in Hartford.


The one constant, however, remains his love of trains. "I started here in 1971 when the Valley Railroad first opened, and I've been here ever since," said Lewis, who now lives in Haddam. "It became my summer job when I was teaching at Warde," he pointed out.

"I have fond memories of Warde," continued Lewis, pictured above at the left standing next to this typist and his railroad cars. "I taught electronics there, and I enjoyed everything about Andrew Warde and Fairfield in general." Here is my interview with him at the Essex train station.


Paul Lewis at the Essex Railroad by PaulWXman

Lewis recalled fondly the model railroad club he started at Warde. "We had quite a few students in it," he remembered, "but then when I moved venues and came here to work for a while, I guess the club didn't continue without me. Then I went to Hartford for 18 years."

Lewis instantly recalled several teachers with whom he enjoyed working, and he respected the late Kenneth Petersen, Warde's headmaster, William Boggs, and Ken Tavares. "I retired 10 years ago from teaching," he said. "I miss the kids and miss everything I did, because I really loved teaching, but we're back in love with our trains again."

While we're here, why not take a short ride on the Essex Steam Train? You'll see first-hand why Paul Lewis is still enjoying trains. The following videos I took today. Here comes the train now.

"All aboard!"

If you ever have the opportunity to take a ride aboard the Essex Stream Train, make sure to say hello to conductor Paul Lewis. He'll be thrilled to know you're a product of Andrew Warde High School.
Paul

Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.

Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".