 The station was previously called Wickford Junction when the Crouch Valley route to also included a branch to and more agricultural traffic passed through the station.The line from Shenfield to Wickford and the station were opened for goods on 19 November 1888 and for passengers on 1 January 1889 by the Great Eastern Railway.Wickford station comprises two main line platforms (platform 2 for eastbound services and 3 for westbound services towards London), both with an operational length of 12 carriages, and two eastern-facing branch line bay platforms (number 1 is used for trains from Southminster and number 4, which is very rarely used) at the eastern end of the station, each with an operational length of 5 carriages.