Nice thread.
I think at LGW, the normal min ROD (500fpm) doesn't apply below 6000'(?)
Also it seems there are two flavours of controllers at LGW, the good and the excellent. With the good ones you have to watch your track miles v.closely and dust off your 3x table. With the latter, just do as you're told and it works beautifully. The problem is of course, you don't know which flavour you've got until it's too late!!!
I find that the G/S indicator on the standby horizon "wakes up" before the one on the PFD/ND, this can help with your VSing to keep the CDA going.