I too took my test in an Austin, 1966 in a '59 A55 Austin Cambridge. It had the directional turn lights but previously we had an '49 and a '52 that had the flip out arms , they were retired b4 I started to drive.
As to turning left on a amber, if I see that the intersection has an advance green, I often will now wait at the white bar on the pavement without entering the intersection unless I see a break in on coming traffic, wait out the red and go on the next advance green. Had a few scares over the years with oncomers who have plenty of time to stop running the amber. This however really PO's the vehicles behind me and my wife if she is with me. Great to be old