Yay fboab!
My good news is that thanks to thomtera pointing out the Christmas tickets have gone on sale today for the east coast main line, I've managed to get a return trip Edinburgh-Huddersfield for £57.30. (£38.20 to get there, £19.10 to get back). And bobb's going to come for a couple of days, then come back with me for new year, so I got his ticket too Hudds-Ed for £19.10.
Tickets are selling very quickly. When I first started looking I could get to Hudds for £24.55 and stupidly I didn't put that ticket in the basket, and went to look for return tickets, which involved discussing with nonn about dates, and by the time we'd done that and I'd put those tickets in the basket (that sounds like a peculiar version of Swedish Chef), the cheapest ticket to Hudds was £38.20.
It went up £15 in 5 minutes!