Scene 1

If you enjoy travelling on the tube, but especially if you do not read on….

It had been a long and a wearying day, All the particles were feeling quite low and certainly less energetic than usual. A bunch of electrons arrived on the platform at pretty much the same time as a bunch of photons, so the platform was quite full. The train pulled in. There seemed to be plenty of room. True there were some rather large neutrons and several terribly attractive protons, but not so many that they should have been the cause of a problem.

The doors opened. The electrons stood, as only electrons could, looking at each other in that inimitably negative way in astonishment. Perplexed, they listened again: Will all particles use all available doors!

The train started to move. They watched as the train departed with all photons safely on board.

Scene 2

More photons descended to the platform to join our beleaguered electrons. Shortly, a second train, which was rather more crowded than the first arrived.

The announcer blared out his instructions: Please move down the carriages, and will particles please use all available space!

Our poor friends, for we are beginning to get to know them quite well now, were no less confused by this message than by the first. How? How could they? Those rather large neutrons could make a pretty good attempt at it, but we? How can we do that.

The train pulled away. The electrons watched in dismay as the train departed with all photons safely on board.

Scene 3

Niels Bohr descended to the platform to join our now very excited and quite heated electrons. Shortly, a third train, which was completely packed arrived.

The announcer blared out his instructions: Please allow particles off the train before boarding! Use all available doors and move down the carriages using all available space!

Niels, noticing the excitement of our poor friends and their seeming inability to do anything other than race around the platform at high speed, suggested that they might like to get into the carriage. This so incensed the electrons that they collided with each other with immense energy causing the utmost chaos on the platform.

Fearing for the safety of the other particles the announcer ordered the driver to close the doors and pull the train away without delay. Niels smiled as the electrons now calming down watched the walls of the tunnel passing by the windows.