The Maldon, Witham & Braintree Railway (MWBR) was authorised in 1846 but prior to its opening the company was absorbed by the
Eastern Counties Railway (ECR). The line opened for goods traffic on 15 August 1848, and for passenger services on 2 October 1848; It is suggested that the large crossing gates were present because Cressing had a
passing loop until after
World War I, and retained the loop for freight purposes until goods traffic ceased on the line in 1964. The station was owned by the
Great Eastern Railway (GER) from 1862 to 1923, but as the building does not show typical GER architectural canopy support features, it is likely that it pre-dates the GER. Although there does not appear to be any obvious evidence (as in the case of
Maldon East & Heybridge which displays "MWB" on the gulleys at the top of its downpipes) that it was built when the line first opened, that is a possibility and if so would make it the only surviving MWBR structure on this railway. There was originally a
signal box on the platform, next to the
level crossing. This was removed and relocated to the preserved
Colne Valley Railway at
Castle Hedingham in the 1970s. ==Services==