I also fly on my old Brown CAA licence as you say its a life time licence.
However things changed last year when the CAA stopped allowing old Licence holders to fly EASA type aircraft. (basically aircraft with a EASA type certificate like Pipers and Cessnas etc etc)
Now we are out of the EU and EASA, aircraft designated as EASA type are now called Part 21 aircraft. So we are waiting on the CAA to say we can fly these type aircraft again on our old brown licences.
I also believe your Old RT licence is also a lifetime licence.
Ref medicals you can now do a PMD. ie a self declared medical but there are restrictions. see below..
Ref Flight Training and exams etc best go speak to an Instructor as they will have all the details on what is required.
Recent changes to the PMD Medical requirements.
Details are here: https://www.caa.co.uk/general-aviati...rivate-pilots/
You have to scroll down to find the bit extracted below. Note that as a student pilot you need a full medical of some form, you can only convert to a PMD once you have your licence.
Once you have a licence, if you only want to fly UK (G) registered aircraft in UK airspace you can use the online Pilot Medical Declaration (PMD).
A medical declaration (from 25th August 2016) is an affirmation of your medical ‘fitness to fly’ and may be used to exercise the privileges of a:
• UK Part-FCL Private Pilot Licence (PPL) to fly UK (G) registered Part 21 and non-Part 21 aircraft;
• UK Part-FCL Light Aircraft Pilots Licence (LAPL) to fly UK (G) registered Part 21 and non-Part 21 aircraft;
• UK Part-SFCL Sailplane Pilot Licence (SPL) to fly UK (G) registered Part 21 and non-Part 21 aircraft;
• UK Part-BFCL Balloon Pilot Licence (BPL) to fly UK (G) registered Part 21 and non-Part 21 aircraft but restricted to private and commercial operation only (excluding commercial passenger ballooning, commercial operation only if commercial operation rating held).
• NPPL (NPPL) to fly UK (G) registered non-Part 21 aircraft;
• UK PPL to fly UK (G) registered non-Part 21 aircraft; and
• A UK Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) Balloons that is restricted to commercial operation and the privileges of a UK PPL (Balloons and Airships).
It is valid for flying with the following operational conditions;
• With not more than three passengers on board;
• in aircraft with a Maximum Take-Off Mass (MTOM) of 5700kg or less
• In Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) or when exercising the privileges of an Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC)/Instrument Rating (Restricted). The privileges of a full Instrument Rating (IR) are not applicable.
• by day or night when exercising the privileges of a Night Rating provided that colour safety has previously been checked by an AME.
• PMDs are not valid outside of UK airspace, as it is not an internationally-recognised medical standard, unless permission has been granted by the State of the airspace you are flying in.