In keeping with the Stephens and Austen tradition of light railway operating, the motive power has come from a variety of backgrounds. Locomotives with Southern Railway or military backgrounds feature strongly, and all except one are tank locomotives. The civil engineering improvements allow larger types to operate than was historically the case. This produces, however, a dilemma. The nature and character of the K&ESR would make many locomotives appear oversize although acceptable within present day engineering tolerances. Against this must be considered the much heavier traffic the Railway now carries and the difficulties this can present to a small tank locomotive. The Austerity and USA classes represent a reasonable compromise, although being basically shunting locomotives they are not the final answer. The Ivatt class 2 which visited from the Seven Valley Railway in 1995 proved popular and successful and may suggest the direction of future locomotive policy

The Railway presently has a flexible policy towards livery and whether or not K&ESR running numbers are carried. Diversity is thought to help with marketing, particularly to a public which does not necessarily have specialist knowledge.