There was one fateful day sometime circa 1993/4 when the LATCC "steam and clockwork magic label box" hiccuped, to coincide with significant slow-moving thunderstorms passing through. Huge slot and approach delays. Much shenanigans on the ground. Utterly captivating! Fortunately, I was on a staff travel ticket as usual, and not in a hurry.
One Brymon Dash 7 captain proposed escaping non-airways to Plymouth but was talked out of it. The "diplomatic exchanges" were very interesting indeed...