Route 302

Route 302

Introduction to the 302

The 302 is a fairly residential service that for most of the way heads in a straight line from south to north from Kensal Rise to Mill Hill Broadway. It is one of London's "newer" routes having only existed since 1992.

Routing

The 302 takes the following routing:

Kensal Rise

Willesden Bus Garage

Neasden Shopping Centre

Blackbird Hill

Kingsbury Green

Stag Lane

Burnt Oak Station

Deansbrook Road

Mill Hill Broadway


Brief History

The 302 was introduced on the 28th March 1992, initially running between Ladbroke Grove and Mill Hill Broadway and was operated from Willesden bus garage using MCW Metrobus. Later in 1992 on the 14/11/92 the route was extended from Ladbroke Grove to Notting Hill Gate. During 1993 the route was demoted from double deck MCW Metrobus' to single deck Dennis Lance/Northern Counties Palatine's, this was reverted in 1995 however when the route converted to double deck operation using MCW Metrobus' once again.

On the 27th March 1998 the route was cutback from Notting Hill Gate and had now become a Kensal Rise - Mill Hill Broadway route, which it has remained as to this day. Another thing to note with this cutback was the route was once again converted to single deckers, however this time with Plaxton Pointer darts. The route managed to hold onto 2 double deckers however for school journey's, these were operated by Metropolitan from Harlesden (HN) garage.

On the 30th August 2003 the double deck school workings were dropped with the route receiving a frequency increase from a PVR of 10 to a PVR of 16.

Once again during April 2010 the route got converted to double deck, now receiving some Volvo B7TL Plaxton President buses from Holloway (HT) garage, it kept these until contract renewal in 2017 where it gained Volvo B5LH Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 buses, however VP workings continued until 2019 when the final 5 were withdrawn.


Garage History

The 302 has spent its entire 29 year career at Willesden (AC), and has also spent its entire time with Metroline, the only excursion being the old school journies between 1998 - 2003 which were operated by Metropolitan Omnibus from Harlesden (HN) garage.

The route has also kept its same running numbers its whole time, these being AC351+


Present Day

Currently the 302 usually sees Volvo B5LH/Wright Eclipse Gemini 2s VWH1360-1364/1408-1419 form a majority of its day to day operation (Although on paper is allocated Gemini 3s). It has also become more of a lone route on its northern section, with the withdrawal of the 305 and removal of the 303 from Deansbrook Road. Currently the route carries over 4.8m passengers per year.


Photos

VWH1414 LK62DWO
VWH1417 LK62DWY
VWH1419 LK62DXG
VWH2042 LK64EHL

VWH2320 LK17DDU
VW1194 & VWH1411






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