It is 23 miles 50 chains (38.0 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Shenfield to the west and Chelmsford to the east.

The first station at Ingatestone was opened by the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR) in July 1843, sited just below Stock Lane, and operated for less than a month.

Despite this, in August 1842, the railway requested permission to relocate the station to the cutting adjacent to the Stock Lane bridge, a change that Lord Petre refused to agree.

Despite this, a station was constructed on the alternative site and opened on 22 July 1843 for services between Shoreditch in London and Colchester.

Following the legal case of Lord Petre v Eastern Counties Railway Company in August 1843, an injunction was issued by the High Court prohibiting use of the Stock Lane station.