The single-track line through the area was opened in 1893 by the
London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LTSR) as part of a branch from to via . By the late 20th century service on the line had been reduced to a relatively infrequent shuttle between Upminster and Grays, calling at the only intermediate station at . Following the opening of
Lakeside Shopping Centre in 1990 a new single-platform station was opened on 26 May 1995 by
Fatima Whitbread for
Railtrack. Initially a free shuttle bus connected the station to the shopping centre, with a direct pedestrian bridge link replacing the bus in 2000. The shuttle train service was eventually extended beyond Upminster to in London and beyond Grays to in Southend-on-Sea, with service frequency increased to two trains an hour in each direction. Usage is moderate for a suburban station and increasing; to expand capacity the buildings were rebuilt in 2006. The "Lakeside" suffix has occasionally been added to the name to not only reflect its location in the town of Chafford Hundred but also its proximity to the shopping centre. However, most sources including c2c and TfL, continue to simply call the station Chafford Hundred for sake of brevity. The station celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2025, with Fatima Whitbread, Thurrock MP
Jen Craft and local councillors attending a ceremony organised by c2c to mark the occasion. ==Services==