Pico / ESP8266 newbie (idiot?) question !

I'm not getting out of the starting blocks with this.

With this simple code

Serial2.setup(9600, { rx: A3, tx : A2 });
var wifi = require("ESP8266WiFi").connect(Serial2,
   function(err) {if (err) throw err;wifi.getAPs(print);});

I get ..

>reset();
=undefined
 _____                 _
|   __|___ ___ ___ _ _|_|___ ___
|   __|_ -| . |  _| | | |   | . |
|_____|___|  _|_| |___|_|_|_|___|
          |_| http://espruino.com
 1v79 Copyright 2015 G.Williams
>echo(0);
=undefined
>Uncaught No 'ready' after AT+RST
 at line 1 col 17
{if (err) throw err;wifi.getAPs(print);}
                 ^
in function "a" called from line 1 col 100
...a("No 'ready' after AT+RST");else return c}
                               ^
in function "b" called from line 1 col 16
{c=void 0;b&&b()}
                ^
in function called from system
 

So it looks like I am not even talking to the 8266. Cabling is Ok. I have a 47uF cap across the power lines. Cabling possibly a bit hacky, have the 8266 board attached via header cable to breadboard where the Pico is plugged in. Have checked usual shorts and that all the pins are happy. They are. And that

URXD -> Pico A2
UTXD _> Pico A3
VCC -> +3.3
GND -> GND
CH_RD -> +3.3 (is this right? permanently tied to +3.3?)

My iPhone is actually seeing a WiFi Network called ESP8266 appear when I boot, though. So I guess the module is alive. When it boots, I see a steady red led on the board, and a couple of flashes from the blue led.

Have tried 115,200 as baud rate too. Same problem.

Any ideas please ?

Thanks!

Pat