Thanks!
Yep, consistency is something that has helped me massively. I am in a position to train as such. No kids, very supportive wife and work schedule means I can do so. In terms of learning what worked for me, yes, It happened quickly but I think I got a little lucky on that front - I followed some general approaches and listened to how my body felt - adjusting accordingly.
In terms of testing I switched across the the KM/ Empirical Cycling FTP Tests - The Physiology of FTP and New FTP Test Protocols - discussed quite a lot in this thread: Kolie Moore's FTP test protocol