On a positive note...
Flew to Weston EIWT, from Shoreham EGKA, IFR, via GWC, BCN, STU, etc, Eurocontrol.
On the way out there, filed for FL160 (all in CAS) but stopped climb at FL130 and later climbed to FL140, but as CAS base after BCN is FL145 I dropped into Class G, which caused LC to drop me onto "Western Radar", with a different squawk. This caused Eurocontrol to dispose of the flight plan, so even though I was back in CAS soon afterwards Dublin had no idea of what I was
So that part of the "UK way of doing things" has not changed.
On the way back, it went pretty well. I filed for FL150 and stayed there, above a layer of some high altitude fluff (yes I do have a chart showing cloud types on the wall in my downstairs toilet) and LC kept me nice and high for a long time, and still up at FL80 or so at GWC and then a DCT, descent and a transfer to EGKA while still in the CAS(T), so a quick descent from FL80 in about 10nm (gear down). They seem to be dealing with the olympic CAS(T) by keeping traffic high up inside it, whereas on past occassions I would be dumped around CPT (with complaints if descending slower than 1000fpm) and then washed hands of.
This is a much better system and I hope they continue with it after the absolutely gripping womens relay egg races are over. It's obvious that it works relative to LGW and LHR traffic because that stuff is still there, so any previous excuse for the early dump cannot really hold up.