Taking the Train from London to Manchester

Hopefully we won't have to worry about this leg of our trip.
According to GoEuro:

"Trains from London to Manchester run at a frequency of around 3 trains per hour. Trains run from the early morning well into the evening, with the frequency of departures decreases in the later evening hours. All routes during the week are direct, with the average journey roughly requiring between 2 and 2½ hours...All London to Manchester trains are run by Virgin Trains...London to Manchester train costs are 49% cheaper when booked 1 month in advance as opposed to purchasing a train ticket the day of."

Unfortunately when I put in our September dates no train options are available yet although air to Manchester is $47 and takes an hour while the bus is only $22 but takes 8 hours (you'd see a lot of country!).

TrainLine also sells train tickets online and it appears that you can buy tickets directly from London's Euston Station to the Manchester Airport with one change at Wilmslow (switching to the Northern rail line) just south of Manchester or transferring at Manchester's main station at Picadilly for the TransPennine Express.  You can buy both tickets on the Virgin Trains website.

TransPennine Express says tickets go on sale up to 24 weeks ahead of travel and are up to 50% off if you buy them in advance.  They even have a mobile app that sends the ticket to your smartphone.  If only we knew when we have to be at the Manchester Airport to catch a ride up to Newfield Hall in the Yorkshire Dales.  However the TransPennine Express allows you to change your ticket if you bought it online.

Unfortunately their new Japanese-built bullet trains won't arrive until summer of 2019.  Looks like we'll have to go back to England next year.