“The train swung wildly for around 10 seconds, like it was about to tilt over,” Jon Young told the BBC.
“It then carried on going for a couple of minutes but there was a horrible vibrating sound.”
The 37-year-old from Brentwood said smoke entered the rear carriage and led to “panicked” people running in fear.
There was also confusion at Southend Airport, which is on the affected train line.
“Many passengers can’t get to their onward destinations from the railway station here,” said BBC Essex reporter Matt Knight, who had, himself, just landed from holiday.
An air ambulance landed close to the scene off Salcott Crescent as a precaution, alongside police, firefighters and paramedics.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) also deployed a team of investigators to gather evidence.
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