A fibrous web is continuously formed between inner and outer endless foraminous forming belts between which stock slurry is fed from a headbox, the belts being held in tension as they wrap a first convexly curved forming run surface from which the outer belt is separated immediately following the forming run, the inner belt carrying the wet web then running over a second convexly curved surface from the offrunning side of which the inner belt is then separated and a porous pickoff belt is pressed by a substantial convex area of an imperforate pickup roll against the wet web on the inner belt, the inner belt being guided to diverge from the pickoff belt commencing at the off-running end of the convex area of contact of the pickup roll and the wet web being forced to adhere to the pickoff belt by the vacuum action of the imperforate surface of the pickup roll. By multiplication of the apparatus a multiply web can be formed. Either top delivery or bottom delivery of the wet formed web to the pickoff belt is provided for.