Debden is a London Underground station on the Central line in the East of Loughton, in the Epping Forest district of Essex. The station is between Loughton and Theydon Bois. It is located in Station Approach off Chigwell Lane (A1168) and is in Travelcard Zone 6.
The station was originally opened on 24 April 1865 by the Great Eastern Railway as part of an extension of the railway's Loughton branch to Epping and Ongar. Initially called Chigwell Road, it was soon renamed on 1 December 1865 as Chigwell Lane, but remained as a one platform halt for the first years of its life. It was the setting for the Victorian ballad, The Chigwell Stationmaster's Wife, Chigwell station not having opened till 1903.
Chigwell Lane was one of a number of GER stations that saw a temporary suspension of passenger services, due to the need to make economies, during the First World War. The station was closed from 22 May 1916 until 3 February 1919. As a consequence of the 1921 Railways Act, the GER was merged with other railway companies in 1923 to form of the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER).
As part of the New Works Programme, 1935-1940, the LNER branch was transferred to London Underground, to form the part of the eastern extension of the Central Line. Although work commenced in 1938 it was suspended upon the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 and work only recommenced in 1946. British Railways (BR, successor to LNER after nationalisation in 1948) steam services were replaced by electric Central line passenger services on 25 September 1949. From the handover, the station was renamed Debden. British Railways goods services continued to be operated on the branch for years afterwards.
Debden station operates as an intermediate terminus for eastbound trains from central London and a number of peak hour trains end at the station rather than continue to Epping. A turnback siding east of the station allows eastbound services to reverse direction and enter the westbound platform to return to central London. The siding may also be used in the reverse direction, allowing westbound trains from Epping to be terminated at Debden during service disruptions and return east.
At one time there were two sidings at Debden and the majority of trains terminated there with a limited service continuing to Epping. However the Epping service has improved considerably and this has reduced the number of trains terminating at Debden. The present station buildings on the eastbound platform largely date from a reconstruction in 1974, although the original station master's house survives adjacent to the ticket office.