Paul Priestman, designer of Britain's widely-used Virgin Pendolino train cars, thinks his country is in need of a new transportation icon, one that upholds the legacy of the Rolls Royce and the Concorde. His vision? The double-decker Mercury train.
Priestman is determined to convince Britain that a high-speed, high-tech train like the Mercury is key to achieving sustainable, low-carbon transportation and invigorating British industry. And like the Rolls and Concorde before it, the Mercury is the intersection of badass engineering and total luxury.
The 400 meter long double-decker—if pursued, it would be the country's first—travels at 225 mph, thanks to an extended nose that's "one of the most extreme in the world." It houses traditional commuter seats outfitted with entertainment systems, as well as private compartments, and there's a play area for kids as well as a bar and lounge for bigger kids.
But for Priestman, it's not just about zipping people around at 200mph with spirits and in-train entertainment; he sees the Mercury as a "a crucial opportunity to champion British design and engineering in an increasingly competitive global economy." OK, but I still see it as a chance to be zipped around Britain with spirits and in-train entertainment.
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