The station was opened on the 17 May 1867. The route from Colchester to Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze, was originally started by The Tendring Hundred Railway, which was subsequently taken over by the Great Eastern Railway.
This in turn became part of the London North Eastern Railway in 1923, then the Eastern Region of British Railways in 1948.
The line was fully electrified through to London (Liverpool Street) in 1962. The old station building was converted into apartments, with the new building built in the 1990's.
Since privatisation in 1997, it has been operated in turn by First Great Eastern, National Express, and currently by Abellio Greater Anglia.
**Access to GZ is best via the Station car park**