Off the rails: a final goodbye to the Apekop train

The iconic Apekop train, officially known as Mat ’64 (Materieel ’64), made its last journey on Wednesday before heading back into retirement.

Originally retired from service in 2016, the passenger train was brought back by operator Keolis last year, to the delight of train enthusiasts, to run between Amersfoort and Barneveld Zuid after refurbishment work on newer trains led to a rolling stock shortage.

But its 12.25pm departure from Barneveld Zuid on Wednesday is said to be its final trip. The train will now return to Stichting 2454CRW, a volunteer organisation that maintains old trains.

First appearing on Dutch tracks in 1961, the Mat ’64, the last NS train built largely in the Netherlands, came to symbolise Dutch commuter travel. The trains served passengers for more than five decades, with hundreds in service at their peak.

The nickname Apekop, which translates as “monkey head”, comes from the train’s distinctive rounded nose.